Wilderness
by wolfpgirl
Summary: Vampires. An alternative to Twilight, but based on the book. Bella gets talked into going backpacking and if by some miracle she makes it out alive, more danger is waiting for her. BxE Romance, action, angst, fluff....everything!
1. Chapter 1

**Ok loyal readers! I thought up this story while I spent an endless amount of time in the dentist's chair…nothin' but time baby! I am incorporating some more of my experiences, but mostly its based off of the twilight story. So if you see a lot of similarities its because Twilight is perfect and no one can write better than Stephenie Meyer. **

**That being said:**

**Disclaimer….I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR THE CHARACTERS. I am just borrowing them for my own amusement.**

Backstory: Bella has been coming back to Forks every summer, even through her teens. She doesn't just stay for two weeks she stays for the whole summer. During that time she hesitantly made friends with local Forks teenagers and at the end of each summer they would all do some sort of trip together.

Chapter 1

I was back in Forks, this time for good.

I had spent most of my life in Phoenix, Arizona and couldn't imagine living anywhere else besides the big, sunny city. That dream has ended, at least for the foreseeable future. It's my own fault really. I made the choice to move back with my father in Washington, a state known for its perpetually overcast days. My mother had recently remarried to someone who had to travel a lot. Instead of making her miserable by staying with me, I told her I wanted to finish out high school living with Charlie.

I just hoped it wasn't the biggest mistake of my life.

I didn't mind spending summers here. I had a group of people I guess you could call my friends, although I think I am only friends with them because Charlie is the chief of police. They wanted to get on good terms with the Chief's daughter and Charlie knew their families and encouraged me to get out of the house with kids my own age. I admit, we did have fun a lot of the time, even though I still feel like I speak a different language than the rest of them. There were sometimes I felt like they had never met me before.

This was one of those times.

I was sitting at the local café with the whole group. Bubbly, blonde-haired Jessica sat next to me, always gushing about the boys in Forks. Usually the object of her affection was Mike, who was seated across from us. Mike had spiky blonde hair and intense blue eyes. I think they got real close when I wasn't here, but Mike seemed to give me a little too much attention during the summers. Trust me, I wasn't any more happy about that than Jessica was. Next to mike sat Eric and Ben, one very quirky and always animated and one very quiet and reserved. Ben's attention was usually focused on his long-time girlfriend, Angela, who was sitting on my other side. Angela was probably the one I connected the most with. She was quiet and kept her opinions to herself, which I appreciated more than anything. I liked for my time in Forks to pass quickly and without much fuss.

At the end of every summer, before I left to return to Phoenix, we all did some sort of big activity together. We had to keep it pretty local since we are all underage, but it was usually a good time. We would talk our parents into driving us to Seattle for a week or spend the weekend at the nearest theme park. But this year was different. This year we were almost adults. Apparently, my friends decided to break out the big guns.

"So," Mike began speaking to the table, "our annual summer blow-out will be in a few weeks and I think we have decided on what to do."

I waited, curious, because I wasn't let in on this decision.

He clapped his hands together excitedly, "We're going backpacking!"

Jessica shrieked and clapped her hands. Everyone else just grinned or voiced their approval…except for me.

I raised my hand slowly. "By backpacking, you mean camping right? Like we did the year before last?"

Eric scoffed at me, "No Bella! This is much cooler! This is EXTREME camping!"

Angela leaned over to me in order to be heard better, "Yeah, this is hiking into the mountains and camping out along the way. We will be away from everything for days! Doesn't that sound exciting?"

I shook my head slowly. No, it sounded scary to me; bad-luck and clumsy Bella. But I tried not to freak out. I just had to find a way to get out of it. "Umm, guys….I don't think me and backpacking is such a great idea."

Jessica cut off my protest. "Bella! You HAVE to come! We do a trip every year!"

Mike, of course, agreed with her. "We planned this trip to be the best since you are staying here for the rest of high school. It's a big deal!"

They all pleaded and begged for a little while I scrambled for another excuse. I couldn't say that Charlie would say no, because he is a big outdoors kind of guy. He would only be sad he couldn't come too.

Though I doubted they planned this trip especially for me, I felt guilty anyways. They knew that I was going to go before I did. Mike started planning out what supplies he would be able to get us from his parent's store and what we should pack. I told them just to hand me a list.

I knew this was going to be a disaster. As accident prone as I was…it would be nothing short of a miracle if I made it out alive, let alone uninjured.

The day of our trip arrived. I was wearing plenty of layers, despite the mild weather. I looked around at the rest of the group and saw we all dressed similar. Everyone knew how they weather could change in an instant in Washington, especially in the mountains. We wore long sleeved shirts under t-shirts and each had a thick jacket with us. I had my jacket tied around my waist.

Charlie had helped me pack, very excited to see me doing something outdoors. I tried not to grumble too much about it since he was being so good about letting a group of teenagers go off alone for a few days. "Just stick with the group," he told me before I left, "Most of these kids have been out in the mountains plenty of times. Just do what they do and for God's sake…stay on the trail!"

Easy, right?

Mike _did_ seem to know what he was doing. He had supplied us with almost everything we needed and made himself the unofficial leader of the group. I watched how the others secured their packs onto their body and mirrored their actions. I couldn't believe how much stuff was packed in my bag, but it didn't feel very heavy when I put it on. I checked to make sure my water bottle was within reach while Mike gave one last gear check.

"Okay, everyone have their map and compass? Knife, iodine tablets, first aid kits?"

We all nodded. We each had our own single person tent, sleeping bags, and a few days worth of dehydrated food. I knew there were several more things stuffed in my pack, but I was leaving most of that up to more capable hands.

"I have one emergency two way radio and Jessica has the other, so make sure that you stay within sight of one of us. We will take a lot of breaks and when we do be sure to eat something. Drink your water often and we can stop and refill it almost anywhere along the way since we are following a trail that runs a long a stream."

With those words and one group photo we headed out into the trail. Somehow I started off in the middle of the group and managed to keep up. I couldn't help but be a little excited. Washington was too wet and green for me, but I couldn't deny how beautiful it was. After an hour, we stopped along the trail and took off our packs for a break. I felt pretty energized and I could tell the rest of the group felt the same way. We were all cutting up and laughing at dumb stories from school. I felt myself relax for the first time since this trip was mentioned. The group broke up momentarily for bathroom breaks and then it was back on the trail.

A few more hours passed by and I began to feel the strain from the hike. The elevation changes were gradual, but grueling if you had an extra fifty pounds strapped to your back. I drank water as often as I could and tried to keep my weight balanced out. Of course I tripped a few times, but I was proud not to have seriously fallen or injured myself…yet.

We came around a bend in the trail and suddenly the group stopped. I thought it was another break already and gladly dropped my pack, rolling my aching shoulders. I stepped around the rest of my friends and gasped at what they were all staring at. A break in the tree line gave us the most magnificent view of the mountain range and valley. We had gone a lot higher than I thought and I took in the stunning view. The sun was low over the mountain tops, with predictable clouds moving in.

A few of us took some pictures of the scenery while debating on how much farther to keep going for the night. Mike checked his watch, "We only have about an hour and half of daylight and that's if we aren't really deep in the forest. I say we move up the trail a little ways and then set up camp for the night."

"Sounds good to me," I spoke in relief. The others laughed, but didn't disagree with me. We found a marked campsite a few hundred feet away and a safe distance from the edge of the mountain. A small branch of the stream we were following trickled nearby and we split up the camp duties. While the guys were out collecting firewood the girls began to refill and sterilize the water bottles. We also collected some in a small pot for re-hydrating some soup. When there was a small fire going, we each set up our tents and sleeping bags and settled around the fire just as the last rays of the sun left the thick trees.

I looked around nervously. Beyond the campfire it was complete darkness. I had been camping before, but never this far away from civilization. I didn't think sleep would come to me very easily tonight even though I was exhausted. I looked warily at my tent, illuminated by a green glow-stick, and thought about dragging it closer to the campfire. As soon as the sun set, the air cooled significantly and we all pulled our thick jackets on and huddled around the campfire.

Angela moved to sit next to me on a fallen tree. "Geez, I wish I would have brought a thicker coat!"

I nodded in agreement. Jessica overheard Angela's comment, "Yeah, but then we would have to carry our coats up the mountain during the day, and that would have been a pain."

Mike bounced over to the fire, "No worries…I have a feast for us!" He reached into his food sack and brought out a package triumphantly. "Hotdogs!"

I groaned in appreciation. I never thought a hotdog would sound as good as it did right at that moment. As he passed the bag around Jessica winked at me, "Well I think I might have that one beat." She pulled a bag of marshmallows out of her food bag. I think we scared the wildlife away with our cheers.

I was contently full with soup, hot dogs and marshmallows…the best meal I thought I had ever had. I stretched out in my small tent, rotating my tired ankles. We still had three more days before we completed the looped trail. I was actually really glad I had come on this trip, not that they gave me a lot of choice. I felt like I was getting closer to the people I had come to think of as friends. I needed all the friends I could get if I was going to survive Forks as a permanent resident. School started next week and I was trying not to think too much about it.

Despite what I had originally thought, I drifted off into a deep sleep almost right away.

The next morning came too early. I knew I was probably the only one awake but I couldn't contain my bladder for another minute. I was relieved to see light filtering through the trees…I wasn't looking forward to trying to find a place for the bathroom in the dark.

The camp was quiet as I pulled on my boots and jacket and moved to a cluster of bushes within sight of the tents. I glanced around and did my business quickly, and then decided to get a campfire going for everyone else.

Not long after I had clean water heated, the other hikers started stumbling out of their tents. Everyone looked about as tired as I felt, except for Mike. Mike jumped up and down to jump-start himself and then sank down beside of me. I didn't look at him or Jessica when he put his arm around me, "Did you sleep alright Bella?"

I smiled and nodded, "Not too bad actually, you?"

"I slept great! The thunder didn't keep me up long at all. I must have been really tired!"

I looked at him in confusion. "Thunder?"

Eric came and poured himself a cup of hot water to mix with some apple-cider powder. "Yeah, just after dawn. You didn't hear that?"

I shook my head. I must have slept better than I thought. Ben had his arms around Angela, "I thought we were going to have to delay our plans for while, but I guess the storm went right by us."

Thank heaven for small favors. On the other hand, I really could have used the rest. My shoulders, back and feet were killing me already.

We had our re-hydrated instant breakfast meals, cleaned ourselves up the best we could and packed up camp. I groaned as I tried to put the pack back on and ended up having Mike lift the pack onto my back for me as I secured the straps. "Try lifting it with your knee next time."

"Sure, sure." I mumbled.

We had only hiked about six miles yesterday, even though it felt like twenty. Eric looked at his map, "We need to keep a pretty steady pace today if we are going to stick to the schedule."

Today I had been moved to the rear, which suited me just fine. I felt bad for slowing down the group and frequently told them to keep going and I would catch up. That worked for a while. They would stop for a break and eventually I would come stumbling around the corner. I tried to appreciate the scenery like they did, but could only come up with half-hearted commentary. There was a lot of excitement when our path took us over foot bridges or rock paths through the streams. I wasn't excited to cross the stream, because almost every time we did I ended up soaked up to my knees from slipping on the wet stones. My knees were going to be black and blue by then end of this trip.

At one particular point when I had caught up with the group, Ben looked at me with an excited smile, "Hey Bella! Check out what I found!"

I unlatched my pack and let it slam to the dirt. Somehow I made it over to him before slamming myself down on the dirt as well. I looked up at him from where I sat and saw he had a baseball in his hands. "You found that? Way out here?" I asked, surprised.

He nodded, "Weird, huh? Who would bring a baseball on a hiking trip?"

I was beginning to think that no one in their right mind would ever want to go hiking…period.

I sat and tried to munch on my Snickers bar. I wasn't in the mood for chocolate at that moment, but I desperately needed the energy. After another water refill we readied for the last part of our hike that day. I needed help to get my pack again, and I trudged along behind them slow enough to be left behind…again. I was appreciative of this because I could take in some of the beautiful trees and wildlife alone, and I really hated the constant need for them to look behind them and ask if I was okay. Being in the back suited me just fine.

A flash of color out of the corner of my left eye brought me to a halt. I looked to the left and searched the thick forest. I listened carefully and only heard the rustle of leaves settling. After reassuring myself that there wasn't anything big, like a bear or wild boar, anywhere near me I continued on the trail. I heard the others talking up ahead and prayed that they had decided to stop to make camp for the night.

The guys and girls swapped jobs that night and I set out with Jessica and Angela to look for firewood. Angela and I tried to keep up with Jessica's chatter as we collected armfuls of sticks and fallen branches. "Hey Bella!" Jessica called over to me. "Don't forget to cut yourself a stick for marshmallows!" I waved back to let her know I heard her and set my firewood down to do what she reminded me. I looked around and saw a low-lying branch off a live tree and stepped over to it. I grabbed a small part of it and took out my pocket knife and began sawing at it. I had just gotten through the last part of it when my knife slipped and cut my palm. "Ouch!" I cried out and grabbed my hand. I heard leaves rustle behind me and turned, expecting Jessica or Angela. When I looked I saw nothing there. More rustling came from my right and I turned quickly, catching a flash of color…red? Maybe a red-gold? I thought of bears and sucked in my breath. My heart pounded in my ears as I gripped my pocket knife defensively. When I heard footsteps behind me I whirled and gasped. Jessica shrieked, "Jesus Bella! What's your problem? You almost stabbed me!"

I struggled to control my breathing. I looked back at where I last saw the flash of red-gold, but there was nothing there. I folded my knife and put it back into my pocket, "I'm sorry Jessica, you startled me"

"Oh my God! You're bleeding!" She grabbed my injured hand. I looked down and saw a thin line of blood dripping off my hand. I saw black spots in front of my eyes and quickly averted my gaze. Oh boy…

"Jessica, I might pass out."

Jessica called out for Angela and the girls each took my arm and put it around their shoulders. Somehow I managed to stay conscious as they sat me down at the newly-started campfire. The boys came over and hovered in concern. Mike, ever the leader, took out his first aid kit. "It's not bad at all Bella. I am going to clean it up and wrap it for you."

I couldn't answer. I just breathed slowly in and out of my mouth. If I smelled blood, I knew I was done. Thankfully, Angela brought me a cool, damp cloth to hold against my forehead and Eric made me some sugar-packed cider. By the time Mike was done I was feeling almost normal. "Thanks guys." I smiled sheepishly at them.

Jessica laughed, "It wouldn't have been a complete trip without something happening to you Bella, we were all just waiting for it." I burned bright with embarrassment, but knew they were right.

"Well at least we can all stop waiting for it, right?" I said jokingly.

We had another feast, this time with Ramen Noodles. I ate like I never had anything better in my life. My hand twinged every now and then, and I was reminded about what I saw, or didn't see, in the forest earlier. I looked around me every time I heard a rustling in the woods. It was pitch black again and I couldn't see anything past the glow of the campfire. Whatever was making that noise was staying hidden in the darkness. Sleep did not come to me easily that night.

**So? What do you think? Should I run with it or scrap the idea and go with something else? Let me know and I will try to update soon if ya'll like it.**

**Hmmm blood…baseballs…something in the woods…..**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok so enough of you want me to continue (who am I kidding…as long as I have Loulabelle lol)**

**So bring on the Edward!**

**Disclaimer: Only the idea is mine…and I borrowed the rest from SM.**

Chapter 2

The next morning started the same, except with rain. We expected as much and were prepared. The group went through the morning routines and after we loaded up our packs we draped ourselves with lightweight plastic ponchos.

After a few miles, I came to realize that the ponchos were not anywhere close to leak proof and my wet socks were creating blisters. I started limping after another mile and falling even further behind than I was yesterday. I didn't care. I was done with the whole concept of backpacking. Judging from a mostly quiet group I think I spoke for everyone…no more wilderness.

We still had one full day and night to go, which meant we were basically halfway through. At the highest point we had a phenomenal view of the whole area. I almost thought it was worth the insane amount of pain and exhaustion to see it. It would have been nicer if the valley wasn't cloaked in a thick misty cloud.

I was looking down and concentrating on putting one boot in front of the other when I realized I had come to a fork in the trail. I stood there in the rain, just blinking dumbly. I had no idea which path to take. I leaned to peek up both trails but didn't see anything that resembled another person. "Jessica! Mike!" I yelled.

All I heard back was the patter of rain on the leaves above me. I took a breath and tried yelling again, this time louder. I thought I heard something, but it could have been an echo. I sighed and shrugged off my backpack, wincing as I heard the splash as it hit a mud puddle. I left my pack at the fork and started down the left hand trail. I tried to look for footprints in the mud, but there seem to be more water than dirt so I couldn't tell what was human and what was some sort of creature, they all looked the same to me. I figured I would start up one trail and if I couldn't get to them in a few minutes I would go back and try the other trail. The pack would mark where I started and also let anyone that's looking for me know that I was close. I thought it was a good plan.

I moved quickly without the pack on my back, slipping every now and stopping to yell for my friends. I started to get really angry. I felt like every minute I was walking was another minute I would have to backtrack. I knew they would be looking for me and when I saw them I was going to give them an earful for not leaving a marker.

After what had to have been a mile I stopped and ripped off my poncho. It was doing nothing to keep me dry and all I could hear was the rain hitting the hood over my head. I threw the blue plastic to the side in frustration and didn't pause to feel remorseful for littering. I had finally decided to turn around and head back when I saw movement and color off into the forest on my left. I stopped and moved my damp hair out of my face. "Mike?"

I moved a couple of steps off the trail, "Guys? I swear if you are playing a joke this isn't funny!" I saw another flash of gray, definitely a person. "Dammit Mike!" I stomped further into the thick trees. Anger fueled my speed and I shoved branches and ferns out of my way. Anger also kept me from paying attention. I tripped over a fallen log and fell to my knees. I hissed in pain at the repeated bruising on my knees and at the re-opening of my wounded hand. I stayed on my knees for a good minute, gasping in frustration. I didn't look at my hand, I knew it would be bleeding at least a little from that fall.

My hair was in a ponytail that morning, but the rain quickly made it into wet tendrils around my face and shoulders. I swung my head up and flipped my hair off my face…and I saw him.

A boy, maybe around my age, stood in the rain. Not stood, more like crouched. His bronze colored hair drew my eye, reminded me of the colors I had seen in the forest yesterday. Maybe it was the rain that made it look disarrayed, or maybe it was always like that. Either way it was perfect. His face was cut into sharp angles, accentuating his high cheek bones and sculpted brow. He had the palest skin I had ever seen on a living person. His lips were pursed tight together and his eyes were narrowed at me. I could tell even from a distance that his eyes were almost pitch black. I saw his nostrils flare as if he was breathing deeply…and his body seem to tense further. I took all this in within a second, maybe two…then I blinked…and he was gone.

I scrambled to my feet and turned in a wide circle. I took several deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I didn't make him up…_I couldn't_ have made him up! Could I? He was almost too perfect…maybe he wasn't real. But then that meant I was hallucinating. I ran my hand through my wet hair. I couldn't decide which was worse, thinking I made up that heartbreakingly beautiful creature, or thinking he was real and someone was creeping around me in the woods right now.

I wrapped my jacket around me tightly, not that it helped keep the chills that wracked my body. That came from the fear building inside me. When I heard a twig snap behind me, I didn't think.

I ran.

I wasn't sure if I was being chased, but my body felt like it was. Adrenalin pumped through my veins and I tripped, scrambled and scraped through the thick woods. I didn't turn around to look over my shoulder until I realized that I should have seen the trail by now. I turned quickly, but there was no one behind me. I darted my eyes around me, looking for the trail, my friends, the beautiful man that may be from my imagination….anything to show that I wasn't lost….that I wasn't in serious trouble.

I was in such serious trouble.

I moved back in the direction I had just run from…at least…I think it was the same direction. After several minutes I stood still, barely registering the rain had mostly stopped. I grabbed my hair and screamed, "HELP! HELLO? ANYONE?"

Nothing.

I looked up and realized that there was a lot less light coming through the trees than there was before. I knew it was getting close to dusk and I was without supplies and without help. I let myself sob for a bit. I was beyond angry, now I was terrified.

I turned in another direction to try one more time for the trail and gasped. There he was again, directly in front of me. Instead of being relieved at finding another person or appreciating how devastatingly beautiful he was…. I felt a scream building up in my chest. His dark eyes bore into mine and I thought I heard him growl menacingly. He looked like a wild animal, more dangerous than the bears I had feared of earlier. I took a fast step back, and tripped on my own boots. I wind milled my arms for a second before falling flat on my back. I felt the wind whoosh out of my chest and was unable to take another breath in. My vision turned to black, but not before I saw the dark angel lean over my vulnerable body.

I heard the crackle of burning wood and felt the wonderful heat of the fire. I opened my eyes slowly, blinking up at the night sky. I watched the ashes float up and disappear into the darkness, too sore to even think that today had been a dream. I flexed my muscles experimentally and felt the hard ground beneath me. My clothes were still sticking to my body but not nearly as wet as they had been earlier. I took a breath and turned my head to look at the blessedly warm fire. I froze, holding my breath. I had expected to see my friends sitting around me, rolling their eyes and laughing at my lack of direction. But there were no friends, no tents or marshmallows.

There was the boy from the woods. He looked both menacing and enticing in the low firelight. He was much farther from the fire than I was, almost to the point beyond there the fire's glow reached. I didn't move for the longest while, studying him with wide eyes. He didn't have the same furious look from earlier. No, now he looked almost impassive, blank. He could have been a statue carved in the middle of the forest. His eyes locked onto mine, studying me with as much interest as I was him. His eyes seemed lighter than they were earlier, but I could be hoping that he wasn't as dangerous as he had seemed. We were alone in the middle of the wilderness and I had no clue what to do next.

Suddenly, he smirked. I widened my eyes more as the amusement transformed his features into something beyond beautiful. I felt my chest constricting. Then he spoke, in the most musical voice I had ever heard.

"You may want to try breathing."

I blinked, then my breath whooshed into my burning lungs. I was thankful that the low light hid my blush. I sat up cautiously, keeping my eyes on him while I moved. I glanced around to see that he didn't appear to have any supplies with him. What made it even more bizarre was the fact he was only wearing a light grey cotton t-shirt and dark jeans. I was shivering in my damp layers and he acted like it was a balmy southern Florida night.

I managed to swallow, "Where are we?" I asked quietly.

He raised one dark brow, "What make's you think I know?"

I looked at him, brows furrowed, "You're lost too?"

"I didn't say that."

Okay. This was already a bizarre conversation already. I tried for another approach, "Who are you?"

He brought back his expressionless face. I sighed. He was becoming less threatening and more irritating by the minute.

"My name is Bella. Bella Swan. I moved from Phoenix to live in Forks with my dad. I am seventeen years old and I got talked into taking this stupid end-of-summer trip with my stupid friends and I absolutely hate the outdoors right now."

After that ramble, I just stared challenging at him. After a moment, he slowly smiled at me, "Do you always tell your life story to complete strangers?"

I just stared at him, eyebrows raised.

His smile got bigger at my feeble attempt to be stern. "Edward Cullen."

That's it. That's all I got.

I sighed. "Well, Edward Cullen, what brings you to the great outdoors?"

"Hunting."

"Hunting." I repeated disbelievingly. I looked him over, "You have anything to hunt with?"

He just grinned, his teeth flashing in the firelight.

I needed to move. I stood up abruptly and he stood as I did...watching me warily. I looked at him, "Umm, I need a private moment." I took a step to my right and he moved to the left, keeping a large distance between us. I shook my head. After moving into the bushes nearby to take care of nature, I returned to the fire to see him still standing. When I went to sit by the fire he moved again, sitting back at the edge of the fire's glow. I smirked at him, "You don't have to be afraid of me."

He smiled, but there was no humor behind this one, "Its not you I am afraid of."

"Care to explain that one?"

Silence.

I tore my gaze away from him and stared into the fire. Maybe I should stay away from personal stuff. "So, you built the fire." I blushed. Duh, he built the fire. "That was stupid." I muttered.

That earned me another smile.

"But why are you here? I assume you aren't lost like I am, though that remains a mystery." I shot him a glare. "So why didn't you leave?"

It was his turn to look into the fire, "You passed out…and it's cold."

Yes it was.

"You don't seem to be cold, you aren't even wearing a jacket."

He just shrugged. "I don't get cold very easily. I stay comfortable pretty much all year."

I cocked my head to the side, realizing something very important.

"You stayed for me?" I whispered.

He looked back into my eyes. I felt like he was trying to figure something out, like he was doing a puzzle in his head. "I couldn't leave. Don't ask me why, because I haven't quite figured that out myself."

I bit my lip, "Thank you." I whispered.

He shook his head ruefully, "Don't thank me yet. There is still a lot of night to go."

I evaluated him carefully. All my anxiety from earlier seemed silly now. I knew nothing about this person except his name…and I wasn't positive that was his real name. But I _knew_ that I was safe with him. I couldn't explain it, not even to myself….but I knew I had nothing to fear from this inhumanly beautiful man.

I wanted to know everything about him, but something told me that was going to be impossible.

I settled for some directions.

"Do you know how I can get out of here?"

"Which trail did you take?"

"The looped one that runs along the main stream."

He nodded, "The trail head is a good 8 miles from the nearest point on the trail. But you can cut through the forest heading due east and it will only take five miles or less. The terrain shouldn't be too tough."

I stared at him, "Due East?"

He chuckled then, and I felt my tummy tingle. "You really don't know what you are doing out here, do you?"

I slapped my hands on my crossed legs, "I told you, I don't like the outdoors! This whole trip was not my idea."

I crossed my arms over my chest. I felt like pouting, but fought that immaturity.

"Why did you do it then?"

He seemed genuinely curious, not teasing anymore. While I thought I should pass over the personal information like he did to me, I couldn't help but talk to him. I had to look back into the fire, which was a lot less hypnotic than his stare.

"I got guilted into it. A group of us always does a yearly trip and since I am going to be living here from now on, they decided to do something really big this year."

I gave him a wry smile, "I told them it was a bad idea. I'm not what you would call…coordinated. Or lucky."

He chuckled again, "I see."

We were silent for a moment, I was picking apart a leaf, feeling him stare at me again. He broke the silence first this time. "So, if you don't like hiking, what do you do for fun?"

I shrugged, "I read a lot."

"What genre?"

This was new. Usually people moved on to more exciting topics than my boring hobby.

I almost forgot to answer.

"Pretty much anything. I change depending what mood I am in. I like the classics mostly, The Bronte sisters, Jane Austen…"

"Let me guess," he interrupted, "Pride and Prejudice."

I glared at him, "So? Its one of the greatest fiction novels ever written."

He held up his hands in surrender, "I am not mocking you. I happen to enjoy that novel as well."

I gave him a suspicious look, "Really?" I said sarcastically.

He just looked at me with a small smile on his face. I turned the tables, hoping for a little more information. "What about you? Do you have any other hobbies beside hunting and building fires?"

He leaned back slightly against the tree behind him and crossed his arms over his chest. I gulped and tried to keep my eyes off the muscles bunching under the exposed skin on his forearms and biceps. He seemed thoughtful for a moment, then he actually answered me.

"I like reading as well. But I, on the other hand, love outdoors activities….like baseball."

I thought briefly about Ben's discovery yesterday. "You didn't happen to lose a ball out here did you?"

He narrowed his eyes, "Why?"

"My friend found one a few miles down the trail."

He ignored my question. "I like music too."

"What kinds?"

"Everything. I prefer classical usually but I haven't met a genre of music I haven't liked yet."

"Do you play any instruments?"

He shrugged, "I play the piano some."

Huh…classical music lover who plays the piano, hunts in the woods with no gear and seems to be scared of a small girl.

"You are odd," I blurted.

His laugh boomed through the dark night. I shivered in response.

"You have no idea." He finally said when his laughter died down.

His smile faded when he heard my stomach growl loudly. "I'm sorry I don't have any food for you."

I smirked at him, "What? Hunting didn't go so good on this trip?"

He smiled back at me, I swear my toes curled. "Nothing that you would like, that's for sure. Although I hear bear meat is pretty tasty."

I felt myself pale for a moment. "You hunted bear?"

He kept his smile.

"You didn't kill one though?" I wasn't sure if I was asking a question or making an obvious statement.

His smile turned into a grin.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "There's no way. I am not that naïve!"

He didn't even have a tent! I saw no weapons whatsoever and I refuse to fall for another trick.

I put my hands into my now-dryer pockets to try to keep them warm. I saw Edward stand up, hesitate for a moment...just looking between me and the fire, then he moved to the darkness. I was fearful for just a moment that he had left, but then a heartbeat later he was back with an armful of dried wood. I don't even want to know how he found dry wood in the middle of a soaking-wet forest. He seemed to tense up as he came closer to the fire and dropped the logs in the flames, one at a time. I watched him as he stole glances at me from underneath his dark lashes. He seemed to be on edge, like he was afraid I was going to pounce on him. I shook my head in disbelief, "Why are you so afraid of me?"

He finished putting the wood on the now brighter fire and stayed kneeled next to it. He searched his gaze over me, stopping at my waist. He nodded at my concealed hands, "How's the hand?"

I blinked for a moment, then realized he was talking about the cut I had reopened when I fell. "How did you…" I trailed off. "Never mind. Its fine I think." I pulled my hand out to show him and he immediately backed away from me. I gave him a strange look. "Are you afraid of blood?"

He had moved further away from the fire, but not as far as before. "In a way."

I looked at him incredulously for a second. A hunter, afraid of blood? Honestly, who was I to judge? I pretty much passed out over a silly cut yesterday.

"Its okay, I am too."

He chuckled darkly, "Of course you are."

I enjoyed the renewed heat of the fire, stretching out my sore legs. He glanced at the tear in my khakis. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Not really, just some bruises and blisters," I added under my breath, "and my pride."

I didn't think he heard that last part, but the grin he gave me told me otherwise. I felt my face heat up again, but it was worth it to see him smile.

I was insanely attracted to this mysterious guy. I didn't think about going on a date with him or asking for his phone number. That's not something I would be able to make myself do under normal circumstances. But here, in the dark forest, alone with someone more beautiful than anything I could ever think of…I just stayed in the moment. In a lot of ways I wished that we could stay here, in this night…forever. It was both a comfortable and exciting feeling being around him. I felt like maybe we had known each other from some other time, but every little detail I discovered about him was so excitingly new!

I yawned into my uninjured hand. The day was catching up to me. This did not go unnoticed by Edward. "Get some sleep, Bella Swan."

I sighed and started to lie down as close to the fire as I could safely be. I looked up at him, "You'll stay close, right?"

He gave me that wonderful half-smile. "I'll keep the fire going. I won't go far."

I smiled back at him gratefully and started to close my heavy eyes.

"Oh, and Bella?"

I opened my lids to see that he had moved closer to me. He pointed to an area to his left. "Just so you know, to head due east, just wait for the sunrise and go in that direction."

I nodded sleepily. "Gotcha."

I was out before I finished speaking.

**SO??????? What do you think? I like mysterious Edward! Review review and have a happy thanksgiving!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry its taking longer than the last story to update. My goal is to do much better than the last one…hopefully getting many more reviews than Physical Encounter. Also, I have been sucked into several different stories that are waaaaayyyyy better than mine. These people have like over 2000 reviews, and they deserve it! Check out my favorites list for all the stories I am reading. It doesn't take long for me to get hooked!**

**Thanks for those that have reviewed on this and continue to review Physical Encounter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but I wish I owned Edward's car that the lucky girl on the Tyra Show won….and the hug she got from Rob. *WAHHH***

Chapter 3

A beam of sunlight shined directly on my face.

I squint my eyes and turned my head to the side to avoid the rude awakening. Leaves stuck to the side of my face and the morning dew was shockingly cold against my cheek. I blinked my eyes reluctantly and then bolted upright when I remembered where I was. My head swam, leaves and dirt fell out of my hair as I flipped around, looking for Edward. There was no one else in the area as far as I could see. The fire had no more flames, but I could still feel the heat of the hot coals. Edward must have kept the fire going all night for it to still be hot.

The sun was just barely peeking through the trees. I had been woken by the breaking of dawn every morning on this trip and I had a feeling that my sleeping habits were permanently screwed up. I tried to quell the disappointment and fear as I realized I was alone…again. A part of me was not surprised that he had left. That still didn't mask the hurt that he left behind. I had hoped not only to spend more time with that fascinating man, but I really needed help getting out of these endless woods.

However, one new thing had joined me in the make-shift campsite… my pack. The blue bag looked intact, sitting up a few feet away from me. I groaned in relief and crawled over to it, digging out my water bottle and drinking deeply. After emptying half the bottle I set it aside and pulled out a granola bar. I thought the hotdogs were good, I thought the marshmallows were great…

The granola bar was set straight from heaven.

Speaking of heaven…I looked around me once again. If I didn't know better, I would think that I had made up my entire encounter. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to believe that. He was the most mysterious thing I have ever encountered. For one, he was inhumanly beautiful. They just don't make people that flawless. His behavior was odd enough to make me question our entire conversation…such as it was. He obviously knew how to live in the wilderness with next to nothing in supplies and he acted like the extreme weather was no big deal, when I haven't been warm since I set foot in this state.

Regardless, there seemed to be no trace of Edward what-so-ever… but he must have retrieved my pack and kept the fire going until recently. I was shocked to think that he managed to find my pack in the middle of the night. Why didn't he stay? Why couldn't he help me back to the trail at least?

I looked to the east, to the rising sun. For once there were hardly any clouds to be seen between the massive evergreens. I remembered what Edward said about walking towards the sunrise. Could I trust his instructions?

I didn't really have a choice. The worst case scenario was getting lost…which I was already so I might as well bet on a guy I could have imagined than nothing at all.

I closed my bag and hefted it onto my shoulders. The night spent on the hard, cold ground had made my muscles stiff, but it held off the ache. I was hoping I would be a good ways into my hike before the numbness wore off.

I kicked some dirt onto the smoldering fire, just to be on the safe side. As I started out of the campsite I stumbled across a few stones and sticks. I cocked my head to the side, seeing a pattern to the rubble. It formed an arrow…pointing east.

I laughed out loud, relieved that proof of my guardian angel existed and silently thanking him for helping me, even if he wasn't here to lead me out himself.

The day passed in almost utter silence. The overwhelming animal sounds I had been hearing over the past few days were absent. At first I almost didn't notice it, but gradually I realized the only thing I could hear was my own labored breathing and the crunching of leaves under my boots. I knew I was going even slower than I was on the trails. It was much harder to move through the trees and brush. I tripped often but the terrain was manageable, just like Edward said.

When I stopped to take a break I slumped down on the wet ground next to my pack. I drained the last of my water, regretfully. Now that I was cutting through the forest I was no longer pacing a stream. I hoped that I would cross something eventually, or even better…find the damn trailhead. I snacked a little bit on my remaining food supplies. I didn't want to think what would happen if I wasn't on my way home by the time the hunger and thirst hit. I didn't know anything about survival in the great outdoors. I would be likely to eat something that kills me faster than starvation would.

I looked up for my point of reference, and I realized that the sun was now obscured by thickening clouds. I could no longer tell which way was east. I stood up and stomped back and forth in front of my pack for a moment, then kicked it in frustration. I yelled as loud as I could, clenching my hands in anger and desperation. The silence that followed was deafening, almost oppressing as it pushed on my sanity. I grabbed my hair and held it back from my heated face, taking deep breaths in and out. My bag had spilled when I kicked it and among the various items scattered on the ground was my compass and map. The map would do me no good, seeing as how I had no idea where my current location was, but the compass was another story.

Mike had packed the compass, but failed to mention how to use it. How hard could it be? I wanted to go east, so I just went which way it pointed, right?

I picked up the plastic tool and stood still for a moment. The needle swung back and forth a few times before settling between the N and W points. I turned slowly in one direction, then the other, until the needle settled exactly on E. Looking in the direction I decided that it was worth a shot. I repacked my bag, groaning as I lifted it on my back and began to move again.

I felt like I changed directions every ten minutes. I would stop and check the compass and it never stayed on east, so I would have to adjust my heading and pray that I was not turning in one big circle. The cloud cover remained but by now the sun's position would not help me much. It was almost impossible to tell what time it was, but I felt like I had been walking for the majority of the day. It didn't take long for thirst to settle in and still no stream was in sight. I knew I should eat something, but without water the thought of choking down another granola bar kept me from stopping for any sort of break. My feet were starting to drag and I tripped more often. Around every tree I expected to see the trailhead or the road that leads to it…like a mirage in the desert.

I felt the first few raindrops hit my head and I just stood still for a moment. I looked up at the sky and opened my mouth. It was too much of a tease, to be surrounded by falling water but not get enough in my mouth to quench my thirst. When I started walking again I tripped over a root and fell hard to my knees. This time I couldn't get back up. I dropped my pack off my shoulders and braced my hands on my legs. I found myself sobbing quietly. I should have found my way out by now. Maybe if I closed my eyes long enough I would be back by the campfire, warmed by its heat and by the company that came with it. I longed to see Edward peek around a tree and surprise me again, but at this point I would settle for Mike…anyone really.

I leaned back on my heels and gasped as I saw movement in between the trees in front of me. I was sure I saw the bronze of Edward's hair. "Edward?" It came out more like a croak. I swallowed and tried again.

Of course there was no answer.

I had given up all reasoning at that point…I just strapped my pack back on and hurried in the direction that I last saw the movement. I heard a twig snap to my left and it made me jump in surprise. It was the first noise other than myself I had heard all day. I instinctively turned towards the noise and picked up my pace…now rushing headlong through the brush and ferns. The terrain was becoming rocky and I dodged around some large stones. My heart was pounding in my ears and I almost didn't hear my name being called.

"Bella! You're going the wrong way!"

I gasped and turned around. There was Edward…several meters away. He had to yell for me to hear him clearly, "Stay out of that area! Come back this way!"

He was still dressed in light clothing, no gear in sight. In the brightness of day his hair seemed to contain the color of the fire we shared last night. I almost cried in relief and somehow I knew that he hadn't left me, but followed me all through today.

I didn't have time to question why he had stayed hidden, why he was still following me, because the earth suddenly fell out beneath me.

One moment I was standing next to a boulder that was as high as my chest and the next moment I was falling…the ground rushed by me and I couldn't get enough breath to scream. The fall itself was short, but hard. I landed on my back with a heavy thud and once again my breath left forcefully from my body. I took a small moment to be thankful I still had my pack on to cushion the impact. I was able to gasp once before the debris started to fall around me. Leaves, sticks, and dirt all came raining down on me along with heavy rocks. I instinctively covered my face with my hands but felt the stones land on my legs and torso. In the next heartbeat I heard an ominous crunch and groan as the large boulder I was standing next to moments ago tilted towards the opening of the sink hole I was trapped in.

The large rock blocked out the light momentarily as it moved towards me and I braced for the inevitable. I felt something land over me and I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment as more dirt poured over my face. When I didn't feel the weight of the boulder on me I immediately opened them. Edward's face was mere inches from mine, his eyes almost as wide as mine must have been. I didn't feel him breathing at all, and he was so still that for a second I thought he could have been dead. He shifted slightly and I realized that the weight on me _was_ Edward. He had one knee pressed into the dirt at my side and the other bent with his foot flat on the ground. He had both hands raised above his head…holding the boulder above us.

I darted my startled gaze back and forth from his amber eyes to the massive rock he was holding effortlessly from crushing us both. Then he blinked and moved to crouch, grunting as he tossed the boulder back through the opening of the sink hole. A second later I heard a large crash before everything was silent again. I could hear my own ragged breath, but Edward still appeared not to be breathing at all.

I laid in stunned silence, staring at….well, I wasn't sure what I was staring at. Edward hadn't moved from his crouched position over me. He stared down at me, looking panicked. It was almost like he was afraid of me again, like he had acted last night. I blinked back at him, not believing what I saw. Things like this didn't happen in my world. As shocked as I was at what just happened, his stunning beauty dazzled me more than any acts of unbelievable strength. Vaguely, I knew that his bizarre behavior was some how linked with all of this, but I could hardly blink, let alone piece that puzzle together.

My own personal angel held my gaze, his eyes a molten gold. "Bella," he half whispered my name.

I blinked again and moved my arms to push myself up. Pain shot through my entire body. I moaned uncontrollably and Edward immediately kneeled over me again. "What hurts?" he asked shortly.

I tried to pinpoint the pain, but it seemed everywhere, and I told him that.

He reached his right hand out to hover over my head, hesitating. His expressions changed a hundred times in that moment. When he touched my head, he looked like a mix of pained, determined and awe-struck.

His fingers lightly skimmed over my hair and I realized he was checking for injuries. Finding none, he moved onto my arms, asking me to bend them one at a time. I winced when he moved over a sore area on my right forearm. He gently pushed my sleeve back and winced at the bruise forming on my pale skin.

When he gently probed the bruise I spoke in a weak voice, "It's not broken."

He raised his eyebrows, "How do you know?"

I moved my arm away from him and let it fall tiredly back to my side, "I've broken that arm before…I know what a broken bone feels like and it's not."

He looked like he was going to say something, but then pursed his lips and returned to his examination. I tried to concentrate on Edward as he concentrated on me. He had some dirt on his shirt and in his hair, but other than that he appeared no worse for wear. He certainly didn't look like someone who just tossed a boulder several hundreds of feet. He wasn't even breathing heavy…was he breathing at all?

I felt myself flush as his fingers moved down my sides, even thought he was keeping his touch almost professional. But he didn't meet my eyes until I hissed in pain. "Here?" he asked, touching the lower part of my rib cage. I bit my lip and nodded. He looked at my face again for a second before gently lifting the edge of my layered shirts. Luckily he didn't have to look far before seeing the damage a fallen rock had caused. I glanced down to see another bruise forming, but the skin wasn't broken. He pulled my shirt back down and actually gave me a small but brief smirk, "Are those broken?"

I let out a small laugh, but cut it off when I felt the sting of my bruised chest. "I don't know. That's a new one for me, they hurt like hell though."

Edward moved onto one leg, but other than the bruises I already had from tripping and falling it was fine. The other leg felt fine as well...at first. When he asked me to bend my leg I screamed. He jumped in surprise, but then laid a hand against my cheek. I felt startled at the rush of cold that came off of his smooth skin when it touched my heated cheek. He dropped his hand like it had been burned. "Is it your knee?"

I bit my lip and nodded. He looked at my leg and then turned back to me, "I am going to tear your pants a little so I can see better, okay?"

I breathed a little, trying to keep my mind off the pain. "Okay."

He put his finger through the hole that was already torn into the pants…again from my constant falling. I didn't feel it, but I heard the rip of the fabric as it gave away under his strong hands. I almost laughed when I realized he didn't even need a knife to do it, why would he? Someone who tosses rocks around in freezing weather with just a t-shirt on wouldn't need a knife for something as mundane as a little fabric.

I didn't want to look at my knee, especially after seeing the wince appear on Edward's face when he did. He came back up to sit next to me.

"Your knee is pretty bruised up, but you aren't bleeding." I don't know which one of us seemed more relieved at that.

I've had worse injuries, but not in a hole in the middle of the mountains. I tried to swallow and my throat felt as dry as the dirt covering my body, "How far are we from the trailhead?"

His stone-like expression didn't reveal anything…but I knew that meant we were not anywhere near civilization.

I shifted against the pack uncomfortably, reaching for the snaps holding it to my body. Edward reached for me as I tried to sit up. My ribs protested painfully as he slipped the pack from underneath me and supported me as I lay back down. I only felt a little more comfortable than I did a moment ago. He reached into my bag and pulled out my compact sleeping bag, unzipping it and laying it over me. I hadn't realized until then that I was shivering uncontrollably. "You're going into shock," he murmured as he tucked the edges around me.

I tried to keep my teeth from chattering. "Can you go get help?" I whispered.

He looked up through the hole's opening, the sky becoming alarmingly dark. "Not before the sun sets. I will have no problem getting someone back here, but there is a storm coming. When the sun goes down its going to get cold fast." He ran his hand through his perfectly mussed hair in frustration. I knew what he was thinking. I would die of shock before people could get me out of here. I didn't know what to tell him. Should I tell him to try anyways? Leave me here and hopefully I can stay conscious and warm enough to last through the night? Logic told me that was my best chance, but the thought of him leaving made me tremble for a whole other reason.

He turned his eyes back to me and dropped his hand. Nodding, he resolutely stated, "I will have to carry you out of here."

I shook my head, "You can't carry me all the way."

He snorted, "Seriously? After what you saw today you think I'm not able to carry you all over this mountain without breaking a sweat? Think again. You look like you don't weigh more than that pack you have been hauling around."

Before I could protest again he sighed, "But I am worried about what it would do to you. No matter how I carry you its going to hurt you."

I didn't think. I just placed my hand over his. I felt him flinch in response, but he didn't pull away. "If you can get me out of here, I will deal with the pain," I said determination in my voice. He pulled his hand away then, but just long enough to run his fingers along my cheek, so softly I barely felt them. When I shivered again, it seemed to make the decision for him. He closed my pack and loosened the straps to fit over his muscled frame. He stood over me, concern and doubt floating over his handsome face. I was about to ask him how we were going to get out of the sink hole when he suddenly knelt down and scooped me up into his arms. He gently adjusted his hold so that I was still tucked tightly into the sleeping bag. My ribs burned and I nearly passed out from the pain as my knee was draped over his muscular arm. He whispered an apology, and then we were airborne.

Before I could register the movement, he had crouched and sprung lithely through the hole and landed softly on the leaves on the ground. I gasped and looked up into his face which was mere inches from mine again. "How are you doing this?" I whispered. He smiled almost sadly at me. "Bella, you may want to close your eyes. We are going to be going fast."

"Fast?" I squeaked. Could he fly too? I hysterical giggle floated inside me, but I didn't let it out. Would I honestly be surprised at that point?

I did as he told and closed my eyes. We couldn't be moving, but the wind suddenly picked up and whipped my hair around me. I felt mist blowing against my face and I was very grateful for the sleeping bag wrapped around me. I couldn't help but to open my eyes.

We weren't flying…exactly. We moved at incredible speeds through the trees, but stayed along the ground. I realized that Edward was running, but surely cars couldn't move as fast as he was going. My head swam as the greenery blurred by, and I immediately regretted not keeping my eyes closed. I took in a deep breath to try to stay conscious, and inhaled Edward's scent. It was something beyond the woodsy scent of the forest around us…more refreshing than the clean air rushing by us…and more intoxicating than any drug. That alluring scent and Edward's concerned voice calling my name were the last things I was aware of as I once again fell into blackness.

**Okie dokie…you like? Give me lots and lots of reviews to keep me motivated. I am not sure when the next chapter will hit, hopefully I will get one done tomorrow. My husband comes home from his training tomorrow night…and I haven't seen him for about 40 days. So needless to say…I will be occupied :P **

**If you read physical Encounter you will notice a repeat in injury… a knee injury. It wasn't intentional…I just needed her unable to walk so Edward would have to carry her….and we all like that, right?**

**Upcoming chapters will have Bella back in civilization and starting school at Forks. We will find out why her friends didn't come back for her and she will try to learn more about Edward.**


	4. Call for Banner Makers!

Call for Banner-makers!

I am tossing around some manipulations for banners for my stories…just for fun!

I have more ideas for Wilderness than I do Physical Encounter…I just can't find any pictures of Edward and Bella that seem to fit.

If anyone has any suggestions, ideas or designs that you feel like sharing please contact me. This is just for fun, so if you are bored and feel like being generous with your creativity let me know!

I will try my best to get a new chapter out today. Thanks so much!

Jodi


	5. Chapter 4

**Wow! I have had an overwhelming response to this story…at least as far as alerts and favorites go! I appreciate the couple of people who took the time to review…it definitely motivates, 'cause who wants to write when no one appreciates it, right?**

**The ideas are coming to me slowly…I am hoping this story will be a lot longer than the last one. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I may not always remember to put this in there, but I don't own twilight. But man if I did…..  
**

Chapter 4

I felt something cool pressed against my forehead.

Slowly, my other senses came back to me. First, I felt the ground beneath me again…almost as hard as Edward's arms had felt as they gently cradled me. Then I heard my name being whispered. Finally, I opened my eyes.

Edward's golden orbs were piercing into my dull brown ones…concern etched over his marbled face. He was whispering my name and had his hand pressed gently against my forehead. His skin felt like ice, but oddly comforting. I blinked lazily, perfectly content to remain where I was. He was saying something to me now, but I couldn't make my mind comprehend what his lips were trying to communicate. He must have seen my confusion because he tried repeating himself. All I heard was "please".

What was he asking of me? I opened my mouth to speak to him, but I was interrupted by the sound of movement nearby; crushing leaves, breaking of twigs and the stomp of footsteps as someone moved in closer towards us. Edward glanced up quickly and I turned my head to see what was coming. The sunlight was lower than when I was last conscious, but not as low as it should have been. I immediately saw Mike's suburban parked near the small wooden sign marking the trail entrance. We must have made the trip in just minutes, as impossible as that seemed. No one else appeared to be with us, but someone was definitely close.

Edward glanced back down at me and then helped me into a sitting position. My ribs protested at the movement, but I resisted the urge to moan out loud. He rested me against the base of a large evergreen and I felt the soft cushion of the moss on my back. I glanced from the car back to him, and asked the one question that had been waiting to spill out of my lips. "What are you?"

My voice shook and I wasn't sure if it was fear, exhaustion, or a combination of both that caused it.

Edward pulled back away from me into a crouch, looking at me one last time with an almost pained look. I heard my name again, this time from the trail entrance. The voice was high pitched and surprised. When I glance over to the entrance, Jessica was standing there…her mouth and eyes wide with shock. I looked back to Edward, only to see that he was gone.

The others rushed towards me, nearly knocking Jessica over in their haste. I was immediately surrounded by my friends, questions coming from every direction. Angela dropped to her knees and pulled me into a tight hug. I winced, but returned it gladly. "Oh Bella! What happened?"

Mike was the next to come to my side, "We looked for you forever! How did you beat us back here?"

He looked me over and saw the tear in my pants, the dirt that was probably still caked to my skin and the way I held my side gingerly. "Are you hurt?"

I held up my hand to hold off the questions firing all at once. "There was a fork in the trail. I looked up one side but it must have not been the one you were on."

Eric shook his head, "You didn't see the marker we left?"

I looked blankly at him.

Jessica had joined the group at that point and punched Eric roughly on the arm, "I TOLD you there was no way she would pick that up!"

Ben looked apologetically at me, "They made a marker to show you which way we took so we wouldn't have to stop and wait."

"Yeah, we used these sticks and a rock, just like it says in all the hiking books…" Mike tried to explain. I cut him off sharply.

"And what the hell makes you think I know what a friggen trail marker looks like? Do I LOOK like I read hiking books?"

Mike flushed and looked properly chastised. I almost felt guilty, but the throbbing bruises all over my body kept my anger in place. I sighed, "I made a mistake too by going off the trail… I thought I saw someone and I went to see what it was."

Angela gasped, "Is that how you got hurt? What happened? What did you see?"

I paused, biting my lip. What should I tell them? Would they believe what I said, that a strange but beautiful man came to my rescue, and…oh yeah…he had these extreme abilities to throw boulders and run faster than a car?

Why wasn't he here to explain that himself?

I opened my mouth to answer her, but movement behind them caught my eye. Edward moved from behind a tree and locked eyes with me. He didn't move, didn't even blink while he looked at me, the rest of the group oblivious to his presence. But his expression tore at my heart. He looked pleadingly at me, almost frightened looking. My mind clicked as I realized what he was trying to tell me earlier. Somehow, I knew he was asking me not to say anything.

I didn't take my eyes off of him as I talked to the group. "It must have been an animal or something, I don't know. I fell into a sink hole and had to pull myself out. I cut straight back through the forest to get here."

Stunned silence followed my story. I blinked and looked at their expressions, hoping I was a better liar than everyone thought I was. They looked shocked, but not disbelieving. When I looked back to the forest Edward had vanished again.

Of course.

Eric recovered first. "Wow," he sounded impressed, "If you were lost, how did you know which way to go?"

I shrugged lightly, "Lucky guess?"

Mike laughed at that, "I'll say! Bella you are the _luckiest_ unlucky person in the world."

I almost growled; my embarrassing reputation remained intact apparently. "If it's not too much trouble I would really like to get out of here now."

Eric and Mike put my arms around their shoulders to assist me to the car. I took one more look at the forest for my guardian angel, but only the bruises I carried showed that he had even existed.

They insisted on driving me straight to the hospital, despite my protests. Judging by everyone's repeated apologies it was going to be a while before they gave up on feeling guilty. Mike reiterated over and over how they had looked for me and how they had tried to call out for help on the radios, but by the time they were able to get a signal they were almost already to the trail head. I tried to reassure them that I wasn't mad, secretly I was glad in a way…my time with Edward was something I would never regret. I wondered if I was ever going to see him again. The thought of returning for a hiking trip was something I vaguely considered, but something told me when Charlie found out what happened I wouldn't be even be allowed to go into our backyard unattended.

Jessica dashed my thoughts away when she tried to lighten the mood in the waiting room of the hospital, "So I guess we will just go to the beach or something next time? Something easier?" I rubbed my eyes tiredly, "Seriously guys, go home. Charlie is on his way and you don't need to wait here…thanks."

They hesitated for a moment but I got one more round of hugs before they filed out. I closed my eyes, sinking down slightly in my wheelchair…I don't know if I could take anymore patronizing.

They wheeled me into an exam room before I could escape on my own. My knee wasn't throbbing nearly as bad as it was before and I was pretty sure I could fool Charlie into thinking I had seen the doctor already. A nurse had me change into a gown and then left. The door opened again and in walked who I assume was an intern. It was a man with shockingly golden hair and an equally shocking smile. He radiated warmth and was the second most beautiful thing I had seen today, next to Edward.

"Hello Isabella, I am Dr. Cullen."

No way. I blurted out my thoughts before I could consider them, "You aren't old enough to be a doctor."

Obviously he got that a lot, because he merely chuckled, "I am a lot older than you think. How are you feeling?"

I told him of my aches and pains, not in such a hurry now that I had met this kind man. He looked over my knee and ribs carefully, telling me he was going to order x-rays for both, then he had me look straight at him as he tested my pupils. I felt my chest tighten and my pulse race when I saw what color his eyes were. They seemed to be the exact same shade as Edward's were this morning…a molten shade of gold, a deeper hue than his immaculate hair. I blinked at him and he noticed my distraction, "Isabella? Is something wrong?"

"Bella," I corrected him automatically in a soft voice. Dr. _Cullen_? Isn't that what Edward told me his last name was?

"Dr. Cullen, are you related to an Edward Cullen?"

He didn't seem surprised at my question, "Yes, he is my son."

"Your son?" I sounded disbelieving…there was no way he had a teenage son.

He nodded and wrote something on my chart. "He is one of my adopted children. Why do you ask?"

I looked him thoughtfully, biting my lip. It was obvious that Edward didn't want me to reveal anything about him to my friends, but how much did his father know about him? I decided to play it safe. "Someone mentioned his name. He goes to Forks High, right?" I guessed at that last part, trying to cover up my lie while gaining any information I could about Edward.

Dr. Cullen looked back up to me, evaluating me in a curious way. He seemed satisfied at what he saw because he smiled at me again, "He is a junior this year. You might run into him. I heard that Chief Swan's daughter would be attending high school in Forks from now on."

Small town gossip, yet no one mentioned the boy with mystical powers lurking on the outskirts of town and attending the same small high school I would be in just a few days.

After the x-rays were done he came back to tell me that I had no broken bones this time. I was to keep my knee elevated and put ice on the bruising for the next few days but I should be able to go to school on Monday. He also re-bandaged the small cut on my hand that I had nearly forgotten about.

I wanted to ask him more about Edward, but he breezed out of the room before I could get a chance. What would I have asked him?

Maybe I should ask him to double check my head for mind-altering injuries.

Charlie was pacing outside my exam room when I limped out. He rushed over and for one moment looked like he wanted to either throttle me or hug me. He settled for an awkward patting on my head, "You okay kid?"

I smiled tiredly and nodded. "Nothing broken this time." I had a reputation for being a regular in emergency rooms.

He helped me settle down into his cruiser. We drove in silence for several minutes, then the inevitable inquisition began.

"I heard what happened from the others, and I already had a stern talking with them. What were you thinking Bella?"

I didn't say anything, knowing he wasn't finished yet.

"All you had to do was stick with the others and stay on the trail. You should know better than that!"

I stared straight out the windshield, watching the headlights cut through the darkness.

"You can forget about ever going on another hiking trip with those kids ever again! Of all the irresponsible…."

"Dad!" I cut off his rant. I had quite enough for one day. "You don't have to worry about that. I don't plan on going back for a long time, maybe ever. I am not made for the outdoors."

He looked at me and snorted. Obviously he felt that was an understatement.

We arrived at the house and Charlie awkwardly helped me navigate the stairs. When we got to my room he stood in the doorway, reddening and looking everywhere but at me. I realized what had made him anxious. "Dad, I can take care of things from here. I am going to shower and go to bed."

He looked relieved and after a curt "goodnight" he was making his way back downstairs...most likely I took him from some sort of game with my trip to the hospital. I am sure he was as glad as I was that I didn't need help with any of my basic needs.

I hobbled into the shower and stayed there until the hot water ran out. After three days with nothing but the rain to wash with I felt rejuvenated under the steady stream. That only lasted long enough to put my pajamas on…as soon as I laid my aching body on the bed I was fast asleep, not even bothering to pull the covers over me.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I dreamt of Edward.

I couldn't tell if it was really a dream or more of a nightmare. I was back in the forest surrounded by mist. Through the white curtains of moisture I saw flashes of color, the gold of Edward's eyes, his unruly bronze hair, and his skin…lighter than the clouds that surrounded us. I could feel his unnaturally cool touch on the back of my neck, then as I turned he floated away. This continued as I spun in different directions, growing frustrated as I would catch a glimpse of him before he moved out of my reach. Eventually the ground opened up again and I fell into the sinkhole in my dreams. This time Edward's strong arms caught me before I hit the ground. I didn't think about anything but how cold he was…I didn't even think about the dirt that was falling in over us, burying both of us in a natural grave. I was glad I would spend eternity wrapped up in his embrace.

My eyes snapped open. It was morning, late morning by the way the light shone in through my bedroom window. I sat up slowly, feeling sorer today than I did last night if that was even possible. A blanket fell from off my shoulders to rest on my lap. I stared at the decorative fabric for a moment in confusion. I didn't remember pulling a blanket over me before I went to bed last night…and I never used this blanket for anything other than decoration. It usually rested on the padded rocking chair in the corner of my room. I looked over to inspect that chair and ran my eyes over my room. It was a mess, but nothing else seemed out of place. I could only guess that Charlie came in while I was asleep and covered me with the first thing he could find.

I creeped my way downstairs, trying to bend my leg as little as possible. I made mental note to take some anti-inflammatory medicine later and pack my knee down with some ice. Charlie was already at the table, an empty cereal bowl sat next to him. He was reading the paper so intently that he probably wouldn't have noticed me for a while if I hadn't stubbed my toe on one of the chairs. He glanced up with a frown as I hissed out a word I probably shouldn't have.

"Sorry." I mumbled, not really meaning it.

He moved his paper back to his face with a grunt. I grabbed my own bowl of cereal and plopped down next to him. "Sore?" he asked without removing his paper.

"A little."

A lot. But I knew saying that would start a whole new round of lecturing about wilderness safety.

I glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly ten in the morning. "Hey, don't you have work today?"

Apparently finished with the paper he stood and threw it in the trash, depositing his bowl into the sink. "Trying to get rid of me?" he teased.

I made a face back at him and he chuckled. "I will go in later. Today I have something to do and we are going to have company soon."

I was going to ask how soon when I heard the crunch of gravel and the rumble of an engine. Charlie moved excitedly towards the front room and peered out the window. "You remember the blacks, right? Billy and Jacob?"

I nodded with a mouthful of cereal. Then realized he was talking about the company we were to have over. "They are here now?" I squeaked.

He just smiled and moved to the front door. He called out to them as he opened the door, "Hey Billy! Jake! How's it going?" He turned back to me. "Go get dressed Bella and meet us out front." He didn't wait for my response but sauntered out to greet our guests. I let my spoon plunk down into the bowl full of milk with irritation. I just got up and I was sore and cranky. I was not in the mood for entertaining guests.

I made my way back upstairs and pulled on a pair of jeans and long sleeved white shirt. The weather promised to be the standard Forks day, wet and chilly. I remembered to take a few pain killers before heading out the front door. I was actually glad that the Blacks were here. If I had to entertain guests, I liked that the guests were laid back and old family friends. I hadn't seen Billy for a few weeks and I hadn't seen Jake since last summer. In the past, it usually felt like I had a little brother who tagged along with the big kids, even though Jake was a nice enough guy, I suppose.

When I walked outside Charlie was leaning against an old red truck talking to Billy who was in a wheelchair in front of him. There was a tall young man leaning on the back of Billy's chair, watching me as I approached. The boy looked to be my age but much taller than me. I also could appreciate the fact that he was very nicely built and had beautiful russet colored skin. His sleek, dark hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and when he smiled it lit up his whole face. I blinked and paused my steps for moment, recognition nearly knocking me over. "Jake?" My voice came out astonished.

His brilliant smile widened and he stepped away from Billy to meet me halfway. "Hey Bella, long time no-see!"

I stepped up to him and we awkwardly hugged each other. I stood back and had to crane my neck to look at his face, "Wow! You have grown a lot since last summer!"

He laughed and pushed his hands into his jean pockets nervously, "Yeah well, it happens. You look good!"

I blushed and thanked him, kicking leaning my weight off my bad leg.

"Your dad was telling us what happened. Are you alright?"

I laughed and waved my hand to dismiss his concern. "You mean the whole town hasn't heard about it yet? The grapevine must be slacking off."

"Well you know us, the reservation guys are always the last to know anything."

"Bella, come over here for a minute," Charlie called.

I limped my way over to him and said hello to Billy. Charlie opened the driver's door of the truck. "Here, get off that leg of yours."

I gratefully sat down on the worn bench seat of the truck. Charlie waiting until I got my legs inside and then he closed the door. The window was open so he was able to lean in and dangle a set of keys in front of my face. I looked from the keys to him in question. "How would you like a set of wheels?"

I stuttered in surprise, "Its m-mine?"

He grinned at my excitement and handed me the keys. "It's not much, but Jake here fixed it up so it runs good and I figure it's better than you riding in the police cruiser to school everyday."

I think I may have squealed in excitement. "Thank you so much Dad! This is perfect!"

I leaned out the window to look for Billy and Jake, "Thank you!"

They all laughed at my enthusiasm and Jake came into the truck to sit on the passenger side, giving me pointers on how to keep it running. It mostly involved not pushing the engine too much. I turned the key and the roar of the engine echoed around us. Charlie leaned in and smirked, "Good thing you didn't mess up your right leg."

I didn't listen to his teasing, I was excited about my new truck, well….new to me anyways.

After a while we all moved inside and I started fixing sandwiches for lunch. Billy and Charlie stayed in the living room watching the sports channel while Jake kept me company in the kitchen. When I moved to pull the plates down from the cabinet my side pulled painfully. When I grabbed my side Jake moved next to me in concern. "You okay?"

I smiled in reassurance, "Just a little sore, can you grab those plates for me?"

He asked about what happened in the forest, wanting to know my point of view. I once again had to edit my story carefully, thinking about my bronze-haired savior. After I finished my tale I looked at his face. It was blank for a moment and then he burst out laughing.

That was a new one.

I tapped my fingers against the counter impatiently as he finished his hysterics. When he saw the anger on my face he had to work to hold back more laughter, "Sorry! It's just…you have to try _really_ hard to get lost in the area you were at. The trails are plain as day! I don't know if I have ever met anyone who got lost in that part of the mountains before."

I slammed the bread down on the counter. I wanted to scream, but seeing as Charlie would jump down my throat for being rude, I kept my rant to an angry whisper. "Look! I may not be cut out for the great outdoors, but I warned them that something would happen! I made one stupid mistake and now it looks like I am going to be the friggen village idiot for the rest of my life!"

Jake held up his hands, "Easy there! No one said you were an idiot. I'm sorry I got you upset, honestly."

My shoulders slumped and I sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump down your throat. You have been a good friend. I mean… you fixed up the truck for me. That's really amazing, you know."

He grabbed the plates of sandwiches for me and deposited them on the table with a shy smile. "Nah, that was nothing. Besides, your dad paid for those repairs…so I should be thanking you for needing the truck! It's got me the money I need to work on my own car."

He started talking about the repairs on the vehicle that he was working on, but I honestly didn't follow a word he said. I wasn't a car-savvy person to begin with, but my mind was also in a million other places. My rant at Jake had opened my eyes to one thing…I was done being the laughing-stock of Forks. I knew people already heard that I was uncoordinated and accident prone. My own friends even expected it of me. I was just a joke to this town. That had to change.

I know made a promise to Charlie that I wouldn't go hiking again, and I wasn't too keen on reengaging in that extreme sport anytime soon. But in order to prove to the town that I was capable of something, I had to prove it to myself first. I chewed my sandwich thoughtfully, nodding now and then at something Jake had said. I was going to go back there. I wanted to know how to take care of myself in the forest. I wanted to learn how to read a map and compass and avoid near-death experiences….living off the land. I didn't want to be a handicap to my friends or to be a constant worry for Charlie.

Those thoughts led directly to another reason for my determination. If I was able to navigate the forest, I had another chance to go where I last saw Edward. Dr. Cullen said he was going to be in school with me, but I needed to go back to where I met him in the forest, if nothing else to prove that what I saw was real. Monday was coming fast, and I had no idea what I was going to say when I saw him again.

**Someone commented on Mike being super-capable when they were hiking. I figured since his family owned an outdoor equipment store then he probably picked up a lot of knowledge on the subject. Also, since there is little to do for fun around Forks I would imagine that the kids probably camp a lot, just for something to do.**

**Next chapter: Back to school!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Okay guys, I am updating because I like to, but I am not going to do much more if there is not a good response (ahem…review!). I like this story but if no one else does I can move onto other things. Time to show the love!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

Chapter 5

Monday finally came with the classic coastal Washington weather. The steady rain and chilly wind couldn't bring down my excitement. I was anxious to get to school and see Edward again. I knew there was a possibility that he wouldn't be in any of my classes this semester, but it was a very small school…surely I would at least see him.

Charlie looked at me oddly as I tapped my foot on the floor impatiently, staring at the clock. "Excited about school?"

I tried to calm myself down. "Yeah, well…and nervous I guess."

He nodded and patted me on the shoulder on his way out the door, "You'll do fine. See you later Bells."

I rechecked my book-bag to make sure I had all the necessary supplies and then finally decided it was time to leave. I still limped when I walked, but the pain was much better after a few days rest. My other bruises were coming out in brilliant colors, but my knee was the only nagging ache left. People said I was lucky to not be seriously hurt, but my luck was wrapped around coming across an amazing boy in the middle of the forest.

My truck roared to life and I couldn't help but smile as I chugged down the road towards the school. It may be old, but I already loved it. I think I would have loved almost anything that gave me the freedom to move myself around town…it was one more step to my self-sufficiency! The school parking lot was filling up as I maneuvered into a parking space. I recognized a few faces in the crowd and I was surprised to hear someone call my name when I stepped out of the truck. "Hey Bella! Good to see you up and about!" I tried to meet Eric's smile with enthusiasm, pulling the hood of my raincoat over my head. Mike was a few feet behind him, seeming perturbed that he was not the first one to greet me this morning. Neither one of them was the person I was searching the sea of faces for.

"Hey, you got a truck!" Mike stated the obvious.

I patted the side of my ride, flecks of rust sprinkling the pavement. "Yeah, my dad got it for me. I like it."

Eric smirked, "Guess he wasn't in a bad mood after we got back from hiking then?"

I shrugged, "He wasn't thrilled, and I will have to work real hard to convince him to let me go again." They both laughed at that.

"Yeah right, you may want to stick close to home from now on…its much safer."  
I slammed my truck door shut to cut off Mike's teasing. "I have to go to the office and check in. I'll see you guys later."

I didn't turn back to look at them as I limped through the rain, heading for the clearly marked office building. After getting stuck in a chit-chat with the nosey secretary I was given a class schedule and vague directions to my first class. I glanced at my watch, seeing I was already a few minutes late thanks to that hold up.

What a great way to start out the day.

History class was the first one of the day and I handed my elderly teacher my note, praying that I didn't have to stand in the front of the class and give an introduction. The teacher merely grunted at my note and gestured for me to select a seat. I scanned the small classroom, getting another disappointment this morning when I didn't see Edward. I did, however, see Jessica near the back, waving her hand at me and pointing to an empty seat next to her. I only tripped once on my way to my seat.

Class had started, so there was no time to talk with Jessica until the end. I stood up as she commented on how excited she was to be in class with me when someone bumped against me on their way up to the door. I felt a chill coming off the boy's skin as his large frame brushed against my shoulder. He was probably the biggest person I had ever seen, looking like he was made to play sports…maybe football. He turned briefly and looked over his shoulder at me. "Sorry," he flashed a grin at me. I felt like time had slowed momentarily, allowing me to pick up many details in just a brief second. He had short dark hair that contrasted against his porcelain-white skin. If that wasn't enough to remind me of Edward, the faint glow in this man's amber-colored eyes most certainly did. I didn't respond to his apology or his friendly smile, and he immediately turned and left the classroom, much quieter than I thought a guy his size could.

Jessica asked if I was alright and I shook myself to snap out of the trance I seemed to keep getting sucked into. I was looking for Edward everywhere, everything reminded me of him.

I recognized someone in almost all of my morning classes, which helped the day pass quickly. Other kids seemed excited to be around their friends again, especially the seniors. I concentrated on keeping to myself as much as possible and making it to my classes on time, preferably without slipping too much more than I already had on the wet floors. The only time I took interest in the other students was when I first entered a class and scanned for the one person I was beginning to think I wouldn't see at all.

Lunch time finally arrived and since Mike had the last class before break with me, he offered to escort me to the cafeteria. When we got there the others were waiting on us. I tried to smile at Jessica, but she seemed more concerned about the arm Mike had thrown over my shoulder as we walked in. I moved from beneath his arm at the first inconspicuous chance. I really needed to make it clear for him that I wasn't interested and he was just making Jessica angry at both of us…that and if he wanted to mark his territory he could go outside where dogs belonged.

I was irritated to the point of just grabbing the first food item in front of me and paying for it without looking. Angela and Ben were already seated at a long table in the middle of the busy seating area and I carefully moved over to them. When I reached the table I looked up once to do my customary scan of a room, and dropped my tray onto the table in surprise. Edward was sitting at a table pushed against the far wall, and he was looking right at me.

Jessica's laughter behind me had me blushing furiously and looking down to fix the toppled food still remaining on my tray. I sat down next to Angela and looked back up to Edward, but he was now looking in another direction.

"Geez Bella, jumpy much?" Jessica teased. I tried to shrug off her words, but I couldn't form any coherent thoughts. My heart was pounding out of my chest and I could feel my cheeks remain in a permanent blush. I tried unsuccessfully to keep my eyes from the table across the room. Edward was sitting with four other people. One I recognized as the large guy from my history class. There was another boy sitting with them, a messy blonde with an almost pained expression on his face. Sitting next to him with a hand on his shoulder was a small dark-haired girl. She was the smallest of the group and had short hair styled into a perfectly disarrayed pixie haircut. The other girl at the table nearly took my breath away. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, personally and from the movies. Her blonde hair rested in perfect waves down her back and she had her arm threaded with history-guy's arm. Obviously there were two couples at that table, leaving Edward the odd-man out. Every single one of them was pale, even more so than I was. And every single one of them was heartbreakingly beautiful. Edward stood out among them with his unusual bronze hair and intensely haunted gaze, still focused away from me. His gray long-sleeved shirt hugged his body and I took a moment to appreciate the fabric clinging to his perfect form.

Jessica must have noticed my attention in that direction, because she nodded knowingly. "Oh, you noticed them, huh?"

I tried to play the ignorant card. "Who are they?"

She leaned in close to me, keeping her voice low even though there was no way any of them could hear us from across the cafeteria. Those are the Cullens. They are all adopted kids of Dr. Cullen and his wife."

I gave the appropriate informed reaction, like this was the first I was hearing about it.

"They just moved here last fall. Good luck trying to talk to any of them, they are in their own little world and none of us are invited." I heard the jealousy in her voice, she was obviously used to being someone everyone wanted to know.

I nodded and let her continue. "The big guy is Emmet, he is in our history class. His girlfriend is the blonde next to him, Rosalie. She is the twin sister to the guy across from her, Jasper. The girl next to him is Alice, and they are a couple too."

She spoke to me like this was taboo. I didn't see what the big deal was if they were adopted. Again, small town gossip.

"Alice is…weird, but Edward, the guy on the end…he is _really_ strange. He is totally a loner. He doesn't have any interest in Fork's girls apparently."

I took that to mean he wasn't interested in her.

As if they heard us talking about them, they each turned to glance in our direction. I quickly looked down at my untouched food. Jessica turned and joined in another conversation. When I glanced back up most of them were no longer looking my way, but Edward was staring at me again. His expression was unreadable, and I was reminded of how he looked that night by the fire. A million questions flew through my head and I wished that I was bold enough to march up to his table and demand answers. He didn't look away from me as his adopted sister, Alice, glanced from him to me. She seemed to say something that made Edward nod his head slightly. Alice then grinned at me…a wide, welcoming smile. I wanted to smile back, but instead I flushed and grabbed my tray. My chair scraped loudly as I pushed it back and ignored my friends as I dumped my forgotten food. I turned away from setting the tray down and ran smack into Mike, who apparently ran to catch up with me. Applesauce splashed onto my shoulder and my injured knee ran into him painfully. Mike dropped his tray and it clattered to the floor, causing the whole cafeteria to turn and stare at us. Most people started laughing, some clapping as well, as I hopped on one foot and grabbed my knee painfully. Mike was stuttering an apology and turned red as he tried to dab the applesauce from my shirt. I stood back upright and snatched the napkins from his hand. "Its okay Mike, I got it from here." I limped heavily from the cafeteria and for once welcomed the misty air as it cooled my burning face. I limped to a covered bench area nearby and sat down with a groan. I took a moment to let the embarrassment roll over me, and then began to wipe the remaining applesauce from my shirt. I was grateful I opted for a brown shirt today instead of the white one I had originally thought to wear. Maybe I should just always wear a rain jacket.

The pain in my knee had calmed to a dull throb as the bell sounded for the next class. I wasn't late for biology, but I was one of the last ones in. I tried not to look at anyone as I waited for the teacher to hand my note back…I am sure everyone was still chuckling at my antics. To further my humiliation, the teacher had me stand in front of the class as he announced to I was to everyone. "Class, we have a new student joining us this year. This is Isabella Swan and she is a transfer student from Phoenix."

I had to turn and look at the class then, and I didn't remember to correct my name to the teacher when I saw Edward.

He was sitting at a lab table on the edge of the classroom near the windows. He looked towards to front of the classroom, seemingly trying to ignore me. When I was told I would be sitting with Edward and be his lab partner, I couldn't decide whether to cheer at my good luck or go running back to reality…the one where things were actually normal. He obviously was trying to pretend like we never met, maybe I should play along with that.

I moved to my seat and received a few more giggles as I bumped into a table corner on my way there. Edward glanced at me then, and I paused for a moment before continuing to my seat. I plopped down with a sigh. This was going to be the most awkward hour of my life. Somehow he seemed more approachable when it was just the two of us out in the wilderness, surrounded by nothing but miles of endless woods. Maybe that was because the whole experience was so surreal. Here in the middle of a classroom, having him only inches away from me, he was very intimidating. All the thought of demanding answers from him seemed to shrink away as I quietly pulled out my notebook and pen.

I didn't turn to look at him, but I could feel his gaze on me. The teacher then asked us to take the next few minutes to get to know our lab partner for the semester. I swallowed and slowly turned to finally meet his gaze. He had his eyes narrowed in concentration and seemed to be evaluating me again. I thought I would get used to that from when we were in the forest, but it still made me self-conscious. I licked my lips nervously and started to say something, then stopped…unsure.

His gaze relaxed slightly and then gave me a small half-smile, "Hello."

"Hi," I returned to him, my voice just over a whisper.

I watched him carefully, searching for a clue on whether I should now mention anything about our time in the woods. He didn't take his eyes from mine. "How's the knee?"

He probably saw my collision in the cafeteria. My chin went up a notch, "Just fine, thank you." I may be just a little bit defensive, still bristled from the embarrassing experience. He looked at me doubtfully and I rolled my eyes. "Okay, you know it still hurts. You were there."

He glanced around him, checking that everyone else was busy talking to their respective lab partners and then leaned fractionally towards me. I wanted to lean as well, but I remembered his reaction when I was near him in the forest and stayed very still.

"Look," he began with a small, charming smile, "about what happened up on the mountain…"

His eyes looked like melted butterscotch and they seemed to glow brighter as he spoke. I had to physically hold onto my chair to keep my hands from tracing the dark circles underneath them. They should have made him look haggard, but they only accentuated his unearthly features. In the light of day, under the mundane lifestyle we were surrounded by, his perfection was blinding. I held my breath in response to his dazzling smile and in the expectation of an explanation….finally!

"…you were pretty banged up. You must have hit your head and you may have thought you saw…"

I snorted and sat back in my chair, turning from him and crossed my arms over my chest. Unbelievable!

He didn't move from me, but his smile faded, "Something wrong?"

I turned and glared at him. "Are you kidding me?" I was a little louder than I wanted to be, so I lowered my voice to a whisper. "Don't think you can just dazzle me into thinking I didn't see what you KNOW I saw!"

"Dazzle you?" he asked in confusion. I just looked at him with eyebrows raised, waiting for him to continue.

His jaw clenched and I could see the frustration building. His eyes seemed to darken with his mood. He didn't say anything else, just sat upright in his seat and turned his attention to the open biology book in front of him. I analyzed him openly, angrily. He must really think I am a complete air-head to think he could just smile and flex his muscles and I would believe whatever story he spun.

We stayed in silence for several more minutes, and I turned to face forward when the teacher tried to call the class to order. I felt a cool breeze wash against the skin on my neck and turned my head towards it. Edward had leaned in close to me again, the closest he has been since he carried me out of the woods. He pierced me with his gaze and spoke in a threatening whisper.

"No one will believe you."

I swallowed nervously, fear tingling down my spine. I shook my head slightly, "I haven't told anyone." I narrowed my eyes then, suddenly angry at him. "I wasn't _going_ to tell anyone." With those words I turned back to the lecture beginning.

He didn't say anything else for the rest of the class, and when the bell rang he pushed out of his chair and was out the door before I could close my notebook. I slammed my books roughly into my book-bag and half limped/half stomped to my last class…gym.

The pixie-haired girl, Alice was in my gym class. I tried not to stare at her as I stuffed my bag into my gym locker. I don't know why I bothered, everyone else stared at her as she moved around the gym. She seemed to dance or float rather than walk. Her graceful movements made me painfully aware of each of my stumbles across the flat surface of the gym floor. Every now and then I looked up from listening to the gym instructor to see her smiling at me. I returned it once or twice, but then tried not to look at her again. She was looking at me like she knew everything about me and we had been friends all our lives. It was starting to creep me out.

After the brief class we returned to the locker room for our bags. I walked out of the gym doors, dreaming of the ice pack waiting for my knee at home. I almost stumbled again as Alice popped up next to me. "Hi! I'm Alice!"

Her voice was a tinkling musical sound, very pleasant. It reminded me of a more feminine version of Edwards. Once again I was startled to see his eye color reflected back at me through someone else's eyes. For a group that was totally unrelated, they had a lot of physical features in common. I returned her smile with a small one of my own. "Hi, I'm Bella." She just grinned, "I know. Welcome to Forks High. Do you like it so far?" We walked slowly towards the parking lot as students filed out around us. The rain had stopped temporarily, but clouds threatened to open up again any minute.

"Its okay, everyone seems really nice."

Well, almost everyone.

She laughed lightly, as if she knew what I was thinking. "Even my brother?"

I flushed and looked down at my shoes. "Edward, right?"

She touched my jacket sleeve lightly. "Don't worry, he will warm up to you in no time. You just scare him that's all."

Now it was my turn to laugh, "I scare _him_?"

Alice just kept smiling and started to move away as I approached my truck. She walked backwards while walking away, "See you tomorrow Bella!"

She turned and moved towards a small silver car. Standing next to it was the whole Cullen clan. The only other one smiling was Emmett. Jasper watched Alice approach the car and Rosalie glared at me. I shrank back slightly under her hostile gaze and flicked my eyes to Edward. He was leaning against the back of the car, arms folded and looking over at me. He didn't smile, and neither did I.

I paused at my truck's door for a second until they moved to climb into their car with Edward going to the driver's seat. I started my truck but gave myself a moment to calm my heart before pulling out onto the main street. The silver car was no where to be seen.

At home I fixed dinner in a daze. Charlie came home by sunset and asked about my first day of school.

"It was fine Dad. I knew a few people there and everyone seems…nice."

He grunted to show he was listening as he ate the baked chicken I had fixed.

I swallowed a mouthful of water. "Dad? What do you know about the Cullens?" I tried to ask casually.

He looked up at me then, wiping his mouth with a paper napkin and sitting back in his chair. "You have classes with the kids?"

"A couple of them."

"They moved here last fall. Dr. Cullen is the best doctor this town has ever seen and we are lucky he came here. His wife is just as nice as she can be, and I have never heard a peep of trouble from those kids."

"It sure is nice of them to adopt all those kids, Dr. Cullen seems so young."

Charlie nodded, "They are good people. They keep to themselves though, very private family. They spend a lot of time camping, especially when the weather is really nice. _That's_ who you should have gone hiking with."

I ignored his jab and concentrated on an idea forming in my head. I mumbled my goodnights after cleaning up the dishes and headed upstairs. The first day of school left me with no homework to do, so I answered a few emails piling up and chewed on my thoughts while I got ready for bed. I propped my knee up on a pillow and laid back with my arms beneath my head. So, Edward wasn't the only one who knew how to navigate the wilderness, huh? I thought over the different siblings. Jasper didn't seem very approachable, so he wasn't my first choice. Rosalie was out of the question. I am pretty sure she hated me, though I wasn't sure why. Alice was really nice, a little strange…but when I remember how stylish she dressed I didn't think she would be a good choice. That left Emmett. He seemed friendly enough, always smiling. And he was huge! I'm sure he knew how to live in the great outdoors.

Somehow, I was going to ask Emmett to teach me about wilderness survival. I wasn't sure how I was going to approach him, I barely even knew him. But somehow before the real winter weather settled in, I was going to learn how to be self-sufficient in the forest. I fell asleep and this time when I dreamed of the forest it was darker. I was followed by someone in the mist, but the eyes that watched me weren't the familiar golden color, they were a deep crimson red.

**Okay guys, time to show me that you want more. You know what I want. Reviews make the chapters pop up. **


	7. Chapter 6

**Now that is more like it! I am glad so many people are interested in this story. I like Emmet/Bella friendships so I want to build more on that. Also, who better out of the group besides Edward to teach Bella the great outdoors than the guy who likes the wrestle bears?**

**This chapter is for Nabz…who reviewed five times in a row! She looooooves this story haha!**

Chapter 6

I waited outside my history class impatiently, searching the hallway for Emmett's face. I had woken up early and paced around my room, considering what I was going to say to him. I still wasn't sure how I was going to talk him into it.

Jessica looked at me strangely as when I gave her a distracted hello when she walked past me. Emmett's head was far above everyone else's in the hall and I bit my lip, nervousness making me flush. I averted my eyes briefly as he kissed his girlfriend, Rosalie, and she walked away. He turned and saw me leaning against the lockers, watching him approach. He smiled widely and started to walk pass me. I made myself step up to him before I lost my courage. "Emmett?"

He paused and looked questionably at me. "It…it is Emmett, right? You're Alice's brother?"

He grinned at me, "Some days I claim her. You must be Bella." I nodded and tried my best to keep my smile steady. "Nice to meet you." I held out my hand for him and he clasped it, his massive hand swamping my small one. His skin was shockingly cold, much like Edward's. I filed that fact away for later.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you about something." His smile faded a little, and he looked almost nervous now. I tried to reassure him, "Its nothing major, I just need some advice." He seemed to relax a bit at that. "Okay," the bell sounded for the beginning of class. "How about when you are done with lunch?"

I nodded and smiled gratefully. He gestured with his arm for me to precede him into class.

The morning tick-tocked by and I was grateful that the teachers didn't call on me for answers as I stared into space, thinking about my upcoming conversation. I was too nervous to eat anything substantial for lunch so I just grabbed an apple and a bottled water and kept one eye on the Cullen's table while I sat with my friends. Edward would glance at me from time to time and each time he did I felt my heart flip over. He wore a black fleece shirt and black jeans. The contrast between the dark fabric and his pale skin was astonishing. How everyone else could sit in that mundane cafeteria and eat their generic lunches while an angel sat among them was beyond me. I couldn't tear my gaze away from him. His expression was unreadable, as usual, but at least he didn't look like he wanted to kill me. None of them seem to be interested in the food set in front of them.

Alice was smiling, of course. I tried to take courage from that as I pushed my chair back and slowly walked towards their table. I heard Jessica calling out for me, but I didn't dare turn back. I was a second away from losing my nerve, I didn't need any distractions. I felt my knees knocking together as each one of them turned and watched my approach. Edward's smoldering gaze made me conscious of every step I took. It was a miracle of miracles that I didn't stumble during the endless journey across the cafeteria.

I stopped just a few feet away from the table. I took a breath and gave a wobbly smile. "Hi."

Alice and Emmett grinned back at me. Edward raised one eyebrow and a hint of a smirk crossed his lips…if I didn't know better I would think he was amused at my anxiety. I made myself look away from him and saw Jasper leave the table and walk swiftly out the nearby exit.

"Don't mind Jasper." Alice reassured me. I smiled wryly at her, "Let me guess…I scare him too?" Emmett's laughter joined hers. Edward jerked his head at Alice and glared at her. She ignored him.

I felt slightly more comfortable and smiled at Emmett, "Is now a good time?" He had one arm slung around Rosalie, who looked from him to me and then snorted. "You have got to be kidding me." She pushed Emmett's arm off of her and stalked away from the table. Emmett called out to her, "Aww Rose baby! Don't be like that!" He sighed when she left the cafeteria. I flushed with guilt, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble." Emmett waved his hand in dismissal. "She'll be alright, no worries. Let's go for a walk." He stood up and to my surprise, so did Edward. He was standing extremely close to me and tingles ran down my spine in response. It was strange how he affected me, something unique to him. The entire group was unnerving to be around, very intimidating, but Edward seemed to have some special power over my senses.

He glowered at his brother, "Emmett…." His voice had an edge of warning. Alice stood lithely next to Edward and laid a small, pale hand on his shoulder. "Edward, it will be alright. Let Bella and Emmett get to know each other." I jump slightly, startled when I thought I heard something close to a growl coming from Edward. Emmett just laughed and threw a well-muscled arm heavily on my shoulders. I blinked owlishly up at him, not sure if he was really that friendly of a person or if he was somehow trying to irritate Edward. He led me away from a tense Edward and smiling Alice. I looked back at them and saw Alice whisper something to her brother, but his golden eyes never left mine. Emmett hollered back at them, "I ain't scared of her!"

I moved with him out the cafeteria doors, unable to see the reaction that comment got from Edward.

Emmett held his arm around me until we reached the covered benches. Before he released me, I could have sworn he leaned towards me and sniffed my hair. I glanced at him and quickly moved to sit down on top of the table with my feet resting in the bench seat. Emmett reached up to grab a supporting beam, hanging from it briefly. I got the impression that he didn't like sitting still for long. "So…" he let go of the beam and moved to sit next to me, "…what did you want to talk about?"

I opened my mouth, but he interrupted me, "Let me guess, Edward?" He gave me a teasing smile.

I stuttered for a moment and blushed again. "N-no! Why do you think that?"

Just how much did Edward share with his brother?

He shrugged, "No reason, just a guess."

"Well, I actually wanted to talk to you about back-packing."

He looked blankly at me.

"You know, hiking…camping…living in the great outdoors…"

He looked away from me and stared across the lawn. "Why are you asking me about that stuff?"

I bit my lip, maybe I should have asked Alice.

"Well, I heard that your family likes to camp out a lot. I am sure you heard about my little adventure last week." I gave him a sarcastic smile and was relieved when he looked at me and returned it. "I don't want to be the joke of Forks anymore. I want to learn how to take care of myself. I know we just met and you barely know me, but I would really appreciate it if you could give me some pointers. I would owe you."

Emmett looked at me in evaluation. I could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he considered my request. "But why did you choose _me_? Any of us could tell you the same thing."

I could explain to him my reasons for eliminating the other Cullens as choices, but I stuck with flattery as my weapon. "Because you are the best, aren't you?" I gave him my most winning smile.

He threw his head back and I had an urge to cover my ears as he laughed. People moving across the lawn turned to look towards the loud noise. He finished laughing and stood up suddenly. He grinned at me and pounded his puffed out chest with his fist.

"Why…yes I am!" He reached over and ruffled my hair playfully. I laughed with him. So this is what it felt like to have a big brother.

He crossed his arms over his chest, still smiling but now talking seriously with me. "Okay, I'll see what I can do about turning you into a wilderness-girl. But it won't do you any good by getting a lecture from me. You can read a book for that."

I knew where he was going with this, and I smiled inwardly in victory.

"We will have to do some hands-on work out in the forest. Can you handle that?"

I smirked at him and stood up, holding out my hand for him to shake in agreement. "When do we start?"

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I was still smiling as I entered my biology class. Edward was already at our table, but not even his unnerving stare could bring my mood down. I was already planning on what books to get from the library that afternoon. I wanted to read as much as I could to prepare for Emmett's first lesson. I set my books on the table and decided that my generous mood extended to acknowledging Edward's presence. I turned my upper body towards him to give him my full attention, flashed him a warm smile and greeted him with sincerity. "Hi Edward, how has your day been?"

He seemed stunned for a second, analyzing my good mood with narrowed eyes. I refused to be rattled and kept my smile firmly in place. He gave a small huff of amusement and his mouth turned up in the corners, almost involuntarily. "Bella," he greeted in return. He looked away from me and I felt an immediate sense of loss. He had the most unusually beautiful eyes and I didn't realize until that moment how much I needed to see them. He flipped a page in his biology book. "My day had been fine. How about yours?" His voice was full of amused politeness. "Did you get what you needed from Emmett?"

He wasn't smiling anymore…and therefore neither was I. "Yes, I did. Thank you for asking." Two could play at the polite game. He seemed to hear the irritation behind my words and looked back at my face. He gave me another one of his dazzle smiles, "Do you mind me asking what you two discussed?"

I tried to be stern with him. I had warned him about his dazzle-smiles. My body had different ideas apparently… I felt a blush creep up my neck and a chill tracked down my spine. I swallowed and broke our locked gazes. Trying to concentrate on something else, I looked up at his hair.

Bad move.

The bronze locks were in a teasingly messy style…as always… and I had to clench my hands together in my lap to resist the urge to run my fingers through his hair.

After realizing that even his hands were just as distracting as the rest of him I gave up on looking at any part of him and settled my eyes on my own hands in my lap.

"Not that it's any of your business…" I tried to sound stern, but I think I failed, "…but we were talking about hiking and camping. Emmett is going to teach my about surviving the wilderness."

When a moment of silence followed my statement I had to look up to gauge his reaction. He had his eyes narrowed again and his mouth turned down in a frown.

"Why do you want to do that?" I sighed.

"You know why. You saw how I was out there."

He looked me over and I squirmed under his scrutiny. "Yeah, I saw. I remember the bruises and the pain too. Are you so eager to go back for more of that?"

I expected anger or exasperation from him, but his voice was gentle, almost concerned. I wanted to lay my hand over his, but held back.

"No of course not, that's why I want to learn how to take care of myself."

He smiled, "Wouldn't it be easier just to stay out of the forest?"

I rolled my eyes, here we go again.

"Look, you don't really know me, but here is a brief look at my history. I get into trouble… a lot. Most of the time it's just bad luck…other times its poor decision making. Either way, I have been the laughing stock of the town for way too long."

"So you are doing this to prove something to a town full of nosey people?"

"That's not exactly it." I had to look away from him, afraid he would see the truth in my eyes. "I have my own reasons." I was aching to talk to him about what happened in the forest, and ask him how he was able to do the amazing things he did. I knew now wasn't the time, however. I also knew that I may never get the answers I seeked.

I told myself it didn't matter…not exactly a lie.

The lesson started and I began to take notes, resting my head on one hand propped up with an elbow on the table. After a few minutes the teacher turned to write on the blackboard and Edward leaned very close to me, whispering near my ear. "Does Chief Swan know that you are going back out to the forest?" My hair shifted as his breath washed over me.

I closed my eyes and breathed slowly, taking in his intoxicating scent. My lips tingled and a small wave of dizziness had me leaning heavier on my elbow. I opened my eyes and turned my head towards him. Our faces were almost touching…and I think he was just as surprised at the proximity as I was. I shook my head slightly in answer to his question. His gaze flicked to my lips for a second, then he moved back a few inches. "You really should tell him."

I glanced at the front of the class to ensure the teacher was still occupied. "Why?" I whispered back to him.

"It would be safer for you."

"He can't know I am doing this, he would flip out." My eyes narrowed at him. "You better not even _think_ about telling him."

He considered me for a moment, and I knew that was _exactly_ what he was thinking of doing. He pursed his lips.

I did the same and turned back to the front and started to write again when I heard him whisper.

"I won't tell him." His expression made me believe him. "But you need to tell someone where you will be." I rolled my eyes and turned back to my notes. When I felt him gently tug on my hair I dropped my pen in surprise, but I didn't turn back to him.

"Promise me," he pleaded in a low voice.

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, sighed…then nodded in affirmation. This must have satisfied him because he didn't say another word for the rest of the class. At the bell he actually smiled, "Enjoy the rest of your day." I smiled back at him, more pleased at his change in attitude than I cared to admit to even myself.

Gym was torture…we began basketball. My knee got me out of most of the activities, but I was still expected to participate in the free-throws. It's amazing how many people I could injure just by throwing a ball at a basket. I wasn't making friends this way.

I was on my last throw and I didn't even look at the basket…I just tossed it in the general direction of the goal and prayed. The ball bounced forcefully off the rim and shot at an alarming speed towards Alice, who was facing away from the goal. I tried to call out a warning but she suddenly whipped around and caught the basketball…stopping it from hitting her face by a fraction of an inch. I blinked, very impressed at her reflexes. The other girls looked at her warily and I guessed that they agreed on Jessica's opinion of Alice being "weird".

Alice tossed the basketball to the next girl and glided over to me. "Nice catch." I smiled at her. Her own smile widened and she linked her arm with mine as we walked over to the bleachers and sat. "I would say nice throw, but…"

I laughed lightly with her. I really liked Alice and felt more comfortable with her every minute. At this rate, I will be friends with all the Cullens by the end of the month.

Okay, maybe not all of them.

She leaned gracefully back on the bench seat, resting on her elbows and crossing her legs. I stayed like I was, sure that I would end up hurting myself if I tried to mimic her pose. She watched the others take their free throws, "So, Emmett is going to teach you how to survive the mountains." It wasn't a question. I cocked my head to the side.

"He told you that already?"

She just smiled. I could clearly see that evasiveness was as much of a shared trait as the golden eyes in their unconventional family.

I decided that I wanted to be good friends with this pixie-like girl, despite my frustration.

"Do you think it's a good choice, asking Emmett?"

She nodded and seemed to look into space thoughtfully, "You will learn a lot, and you will better at it than you think."

I frowned, "I'm glad you are confident about it. Do you think you could come with us?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No, sorry. I like the outdoors but I would just be in the way. You will have enough people there as it is."

That confused me. It was just me and Emmett, right? Why would she think that was a crowd?

She distracted me before I could ask about it. "You know…Emmett is mostly doing this just to get Edward riled up."

I looked away from her, "Why would Edward care about what we do?" My blush ruined my attempt at nonchalance.

I heard her tinkling laugh, "You'll find out soon enough."

Okay…maybe Alice _was_ a little weird. What's with the ominous sounding answers?

I wanted to ask her about Edward, specifically about his unusual abilities. She seemed to be the closest sibling to him and I had a feeling she knew all about him, but I remembered my promise to Edward not to tell anyone. Even though he made it clear he wasn't going to talk to me about it, I owed it to him not to accidentally reveal his secret to his sister, in case she didn't already know.

The coach whistled for the end of class and Alice moved towards the locker room, leaving me staring after her.

She peeked around the corner of the locker room as I finished tying my shoes. "Oh, Bella?" I raised my eyebrows in question. She grinned at me. "If you ever want to go shopping…come see me. I am the Emmett of the shopping world." Her musical laughter echoed in the emptying locker room.

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Emmett and I talked a few more times about our expedition, usually before history class. We had decided on meeting up for our first trip out this Saturday. It had been a few weeks since I had first asked him for his help, and I had spent almost every minute of my free time researching as much as I could. I knew I should have done a lot of this before my first trip, but oh well…live and learn, right?

My knee had completely healed and the bruises were all but gone. When I told Charlie I had plans this weekend, he looked at me suspiciously. "With who and what will you be doing?"

I scrambled for some sort of half-truth. "Well I have made friends with a few of the kids from the Cullen family, and we are just going to hang out for the day."

I may be a world class liar, but I had never given him any reason to doubt me. I felt a little guilty about hiding the finer details of my day from him, but I knew if I told him what I was really doing and which Cullen kid I was specifically hanging out with, he would have blown a gasket.

I could hardly sleep Friday night. I think I was more nervous about being back in the woods than I wanted to admit. However, excitement overrode any misgivings I had about the next day and Alice's reassurances helped keep me positive.

Before I realized I was falling asleep my alarm was suddenly waking me back up. I quickly shut it off and moved to get dressed in the dark. I had laid out my clothes the night before on my rocking chair so I wouldn't wake Charlie. I frowned when I saw my clothes were not there. Looking around the room, I found them folded neatly on my desk. That was strange…I didn't remember moving them last night.

When I heard Charlie's alarm go off I hurriedly got dressed and tip-toed back to bed, bringing the covers up to my neck just in case Charlie decided to check on me.

I waited until I heard the engine of his cruiser fade off down the road and jumped up. After downing a quick bowl of cereal I packed a light lunch and stuffed it in my backpack along with a few bottles of water, iodine tablets, and a knife. Emmett said he would bring any other gear we may need.

My truck labored along the winding road and I tapped my hand on the steering wheel in time with the windshield wipers. The rain was expected, so I wore a raincoat over my layers. I had bought a brand new pair of hiking khakis since my others were ripped beyond repair. Since the weather was cooler I wore a layer of thermal underwear beneath the pants.

I pulled up next to a jeep at the entrance to the loop trail and saw Emmett lounging against it. Unlike how Edward was dressed when I saw him in the woods, Emmett wore a green windbreaker jacket over a gray t-shirt. Still not enough clothes for this weather in my opinion, but I guess a big guy like that stayed warm easier.

He smiled at me as I hopped out of my truck. "Hey Bells! Ready for a _real_ adventure?" I gave him a grimace, "You'll go easy on me for my first day, right?"

He laughed and patted me on the shoulder. "Don't worry! Today we are just going to work on some navigation. We'll save the hard-core stuff for later."

I swallowed my apprehension at his statement and waited for him as he slung his backpack over his shoulders. He gestured towards the trail entrance. "Let's get started!"

We walked on the trail for a while and I listened while he explained how we were going to follow it for a ways, then branch off into the forest.

We hadn't been walking long when we came around a corner and I stumbled to a stop. I heard Emmett chuckle behind me, "Now _how_ did I know that we would be running into you today?"

Edward stood in the rain-soaked path, smirking at his brother. He also wore a raincoat this time, a dark blue one that matched the bag slung over his shoulder. His hiking pants and sturdy boots completed the ensemble of a normal, everyday hiker. This is how he should have been the last time we met in the woods, but even so…it didn't seem natural for him.

"What are you doing here Edward?" I was torn between exasperation and elation. He turned his full gaze on me…and a sexy half-smile slowly crept up onto his face. I was properly stunned by that expression and my stomach filled with quivering butterflies. I almost missed Emmett's sly comment.

"Well Bella, I can safely say Edward has no interest in spending the day with me out in the woods, so he must be here for you." The butterflies picked up a notch as Edward ignored his brother's teasing and he gave me a slow once-over, scanning me from the top of my head, down to my mud-splattered boots… and back up again to meet my wide eyes. I licked my lips in nervousness and I saw eyes followed the movement. His smoldering gaze seemed to darken and over the pounding of my heart, I heard him let out a low growl.

_Holy Crow._

**Holy Crow is right! I got my friend hooked on Twilight! She is finishing up Breaking Dawn now and we are going to go see the movie tomorrow night! This will be her first time seeing it, my second time….its funny to think I am as excited to see it the second time around as I was the first time!**

**Oh, and it wont be the last time I see it in theaters…that's for sure!**

**REVIEW to keep me going!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Don't hate me! It's been busy/distracting around here lately. If you read my profile, then you know I warned you I write more when my husband is gone, and he is going to be here for a little while. We just got word his 7 month deployment starting in Feb had been extended to a 9 month deployment! Yikes! Also, I went with a Twilight virgin to the movie and got to see all her excitedness! It was hilarious the way she was bouncing around in her seat waiting for the movie to start! I can't wait to see the movie again!**

**Anyway. Story time! More notes later. Edward NOW!**

**Disclaimer: own nada.**

Chapter 7

I stood there for several heartbeats, waiting for one of us to break eye contact. I didn't think I was strong enough to do it first, and Edward looked like he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Emmett had other plans however, and cleared his throat loudly in impatience. That made Edward glare at him, and I blinked and shook my head to break out of whatever trance I had been caught in, my face flaming of course.

I finally got the nerve to speak. "Edward…what are you doing here?"

"You said you wanted help? I am here to help." He smirked, and I forgot to be irritated by his bizarre behavior. Emmett stepped from behind me, "Hey hey now! Bella asked _me_ to help her out here. I have it under control _Eddie_." From the tone of his voice and Edward's irritated look, I am guessing _Eddie_ was not a favorite nickname.

Edward was not a small person, but he still had to lift his head to meet Emmett's eyes. "You can never have too much help, can you?"

I sighed, this was not how I thought the day would progress. I let my small backpack drop to the ground and folded my legs underneath me, waiting for the boys to finish. While they argued quietly, I was able to study Edward unabashed. He must shave every morning because I never saw a great amount of stubble on his jaw. His hair stuck out in all directions again. Apparently the gentle rain and mist floating constantly in the mountain air didn't adversely affect his hair like it did mine. I was thankful I had pulled it back into a braid this morning but my exposed skin was getting colder by the second. I made a mental note to bring gloves and a hat next time. Edward's cheeks seemed to have a tinge of pink to them today, maybe the cold was getting to him too. While my face was probably going to look chapped by then end of the day, he looked amazing healthy, despite his unnaturally pale complexion.

I brought my knees up to my chest and rested my chin on them, waiting. They finally reached a point in their discussion to include me. "Bella…" Emmett said. They turned and looked surprised to see me now sitting on the ground, looking bored. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"What do you think? Do you want lessons from Edward or from me?"

I tried not to bite my lip. I honestly knew who I wanted to spend my day with, and usually it wouldn't include Emmett. But I had asked him first, and I honestly could use the both of them in my quest.

I stood up and brushed the forest litter from my pants. They watched me as I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to look authoritative. "Look, I need all the help I can get at this point and somehow I don't see this discussion ending anytime soon as it stands. So why don't _both_ of you show me what to do?"

Neither one of them looked totally happy about that.

I dropped my arms and sighed in exasperation. "Come one! Emmett? What if Edward forgets to tell me something? Remember why I told you I chose you?" I gave him a winning smile, stroking his ego a little. It worked.

He turned and grinned at Edward. When he wasn't looking at me anymore I glanced at Edward and gave him a wink. He blinked, then tried to hid a smile. Message received.

"I'm fine with it if you are." He graciously told Emmett.

Emmett shrugged as if he was doing Edward some big favor, "Sure I guess you can tag along, you might learn something yourself!"

I tried really hard not to laugh.

Soon, we were walking along the trail again. Emmett led the way and Edward took up the end, leaving me between them. I had to resist the urge to turn and make sure he was still behind me. Both of them were extremely quiet, which made my stumbling footsteps twice as loud.

After about and hour, we stopped for a break. I was feeling pretty good since I only had a small bag with me instead of the enormous pack like last time. This was something that didn't go unnoticed by Emmett. I greedily drank from my canteen, but wasn't very surprised to see that they weren't drinking any water at all. "Bells, you know you are going to have to bring your big pack next time, right?"

"Why?"

"We will eventually need to do an overnight trip, and you won't be getting properly conditioned if you don't work with a full pack. If you stick with something small you will be bogged down when you actually have gear."

I wrinkled my nose. He had a good point, but I didn't like it.

"Alright take a couple more minutes, then we are heading into the forest." Emmett began tromping through the trees, and I assumed he was looking for just the right area to take me.

Edward sat down next to me, his muscular legs stretched out in front of him. I glanced out of the corner of my eye and was almost pleased to see him staring directly at me again. He wore the same look he did when I first saw him across the campfire, confused…frustrated…speculative.

I turned to face him. "Why do you do that?"

His brow furrowed in confusion.

"You look at me like you are trying to mentally dissect me."

He gave a small chuckle, "Sorry. I am just…trying to figure you out."

Now it was my turn to chuckle, "I am kind of a 'what-you-see-is-what-you-get girl. Not a whole lot to me."

"I don't believe that."

I looked down at the ground and grabbed a leaf, tearing pieces off of it. I couldn't look back to his face yet. "Why do you think that? You barely know me."

He seemed to take his time answering, choosing his words carefully.

"I can usually…read people easily. I can get a sense of who they are right away. But you…" When he paused I glanced back up at him.

"You are almost impossible for me to read. You are the one person who remains a mystery and its…frustrating."

I bit my tongue lightly, hesitating about what I was going to say next. I decided bluntness was the way to go.

"Is that another one of your special abilities?"

He pursed his lips and stood quickly and gracefully. I was not as graceful as I scrambled to my feet. He didn't look pleased as he turned to me, "You aren't going to drop that are you?" I shook my head.

He sighed and ran his hand through his bronze hair. I wished my hand was his at that moment.

"Did you tell Charlie where you would be today?"

"I told you I couldn't tell Charlie about this."

He raised his eyebrows at me, "You promised you would tell someone."

"I did," I lifted my chin slightly in defiance, "I told Alice."

He closed his eyes and groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. I had a feeling he didn't mean his sister when he made me promise to tell someone, but I technically kept to my end of the agreement. "What does it matter? We are only out here for a day…"

He cut me off, "Because I needed some incentive to make sure I brought you home!"

I almost blanched at his tone, but held my stance. "You wouldn't hurt me."

He laugh was without humor. "You don't know anything about me."

I took a small step towards him. "I think I know more about you than anyone else in Forks, am I right? You won't hurt me."

His jaw was clenched and I had to keep reminding myself I wasn't afraid of him.

Another small step and I was within reach of him. My heart thudded against my ribs almost painfully. Somehow I knew he could hear it, but at that point I was thinking the whole forest was echoing it. He turned his eyes to me and met my wide gaze momentarily, before moving lower…and I felt the burn of his now darkened stare on my throat. I couldn't help the flush that moved from my chest up to my cheeks. I heard a low grumble from him and he was suddenly pressed up against me. I was reeling from his speed and from his proximity.

He raised his hands slightly, like he wanted to touch me, but his hands closed into fists and he slowly lowered them back to his side. I watched as some internal battle caused his expression to go from hungry to determined and back. It looked like all his muscles were tensed and he was holding his breath. I didn't give myself a chance to think. I reached up and lightly placed my hand on his cold cheek. I almost took my hand away in surprise at the physical current I felt run between our touching flesh. Edward's eyes clenched shut, as if he were in pain, but he reached up and laid his hand over mine, holding it to his face. He let out a pent-up breath and slowly inhaled through his nose, turning his face so he was breathing against my palm. I felt my stomach clench almost pleasantly as he rubbed his face back and forth, gently over my trembling hand.

When he pressed his lips to the inside of my wrist my shaking knees finally gave out. I gasped as Edward's free arm snaked around my waist, holding me upright and also pressing me firmly against him. His eyes popped open, just inches from mine. I could feel his breath against me face, cool and intoxicating. My lids felt very heavy, and I prayed I wouldn't pass out when I saw a slow, sexy smile appear on Edward's lips.

He glanced passed me and suddenly set me aside, stepping away from me. Somehow I remained upright, but he had one hand out a little towards me, ready to catch me if I couldn't keep on my feet.

A moment later Emmett came back through the trees. If he noticed something odd about our appearances, he didn't comment on it. "Alright Bella, lets introduce you to survival rule number one: Know where you are."

I nodded mutely and stumbled over to him when he waved for me to join him and his map. I tried desperately to concentrate on his instructions; actually grateful Edward kept his distance for now. Emmett was showing me where we started on the trail and I was easily able to follow the lines that marked our path on the trail.

"Now the best way to use you compass is with your map. Check your map often, even if you stay on the trail and compare it with the direction on your compass. That way, if you have to go on another sudden 'adventure'," he gave me an amused smile, "you will have a general idea of where you are according to your last check point."

He quizzed me on the direction we would take to get back to the trailhead if we cut directly through the woods from where we were, nodded approvingly when I got it right.

"Okay, you hold onto the compass and map while we walk through the forest. Me and Eddie will stick close to you, but check your map as if you were alone. It's important that everyone in a group know where they are at all times." I bit my tongue to keep from asking where his map and compass were.

I was glad for something to concentrate on while we walked…it kept me from continuing where I left off with Edward. I think we both needed a little time to recover.

Unfortunately, that meant I had one more thing to concentrate on other than avoiding tripping on obstacles. I frequently stumbled over rocks, sticks….and on nothing at all sometimes. Once, I fell to my knees and dropped the map and compass. Edward was there in a flash, "Are you okay?" He held my elbow as I got back up on my feet and handed me the compass and map. I smiled embarrassingly at him, "Yeah, thanks. I have had worse."

He didn't smile at that, but did roll his eyes. "Don't remind me."

Emmett turned back to us, "Alright Bella, where are we?"

I looked down at the map in concentration and checked the compass. "Here?" I meant to sound confident of my answer, but it definitely came out more like a question.

Emmett leaned over my shoulder to check the spot I had pointed at. "Good! Now, which direction do we take to get back to the trail head?"

I checked the compass again, "East…no wait…Southeast." I felt sure about this one. Emmett grinned and thumped me on my back. I stumbled under his strength and heard Edward growl, "Easy with her".

Emmett ignored him, "Alright one more…point me in the southeast direction."

This one was harder. I turned my body a few times, checking the map and compass. After a minute I pointed and both of the guys smiled approving. I grinned back at them, feeling rather proud of myself. Edward took the compass and map from me and handed them to Emmett. "Now, since you are so smart, how about a challenge?"

"Bring it on!" I felt like the hiking master at that point. Edward pulled out a bandana from his pocket and lifted it towards my face. I blanched back automatically and looked at both of them with suspicion. "What are you doing?"

Emmett grinned at me excitedly, but I wasn't reassured at that. "Hide and Seek! Here is the deal, we will blindfold you, spin you around a little and then tell you which direction we are going. You count to five then come and find us."

"I get the compass and map, right?"

"Not this time. This is all about directional sense. We will see how good you are without the tools."

I bit my lip nervously. That was something I definitely wasn't good at. Edward saw my hesitation and leaned in to quietly reassure me. "We won't be far Bella, you will be safe. Do you trust me?"

I swallowed and looked deep into his gold eyes….and nodded. He didn't look so much pleased at that fact, but more resigned. He raised the bandana to my eyes and gently tied it around the back of my head. I felt gentle hands turn my body in a few small circles and waited for me to regain my balance before releasing me. "Okay Bells," I heart Emmett call from behind me, "we are going northwest. Got that?"

"Yes?" They laughed at my questioning voice, and then I heard nothing. "Guys?" I called. There was no answer. I suddenly remember to count to five and then ripped the cloth from around me eyes. I was alone again in the forest, but I tried not to panic. I knew Edward wasn't far. I looked up at the sky, but I couldn't see any direct sunlight whatsoever. I looked around me and tried to remember which trees I was facing before I was blindfolded, but they all pretty much looked the same now. I thought I may have recognized a particular rock and thought that was a good place to start as any. Calculating my position I turned to my left and began pushing through the ferns.

They said they wouldn't be far, so after thirty minutes of moving in as straight of a line as possible I knew I was going the wrong way. I looked up at the sky again but the haze was still blocking the sun. I dropped my bag and gave up, "Okay guys! You win!" I yelled across the forest. No voices returned my call. "Edward? Emmett?" I tried again.

I spark of panic flared up in my chest. I turned in a circle, calling for them as loud as I could. My breath started coming in and out in sharp gasps and I could feel tears well up in my eyes. I tried to tell myself not to panic, but every second that I was alone was another second for me to imagine a hundred different scenarios, all of them involving me not making it out of the woods.

Suddenly a pair of hands was on my shoulders and turning me around. Edward's concerned face met mine, "Bella! It's okay! We're here, you're safe." Emmett was standing a little ways behind him, looking concerned as well. I tried to calm my breathing down as spots started dancing in front of my eyes. I must have looked as panicked as I felt, because Edward slowly led me to a fallen log and gently lowered me onto it. "Breath Bella, put your head between your knees." I did as he asked, concentrating on pulling a breath slowly in through my nose and out through my mouth. As I calmed I could feel Edward's hand stroking my back through my thick coat.

Eventually I was able to lift my head, the spots not in my eyes anymore. Edward was kneeled in front of me, staring at me intently. I instantly felt stupid, tears streaking down my face. I knew he wasn't going to leave me in the forest, but flashes of my last visit here haunted me, making me think very irrationally.

His cool fingers moved along my cheeks, wiping my embarrassing tears away. "How are you feeling?" he whispered.

I sniffed and then gave a small laugh. "Stupid."

Edward gave a small smile. "You are no were near stupid. I am sorry we put you in that situation. We should have waited for a step that big."

Emmett saw down next to me, patting me lightly on the shoulder. "Sorry Bells."

I looked between the both of them and gave them a wobbly smile. "Its okay guys, it's not your fault…I overreacted big time."

Edward put a hand on my knee and rubbed it lightly. I was grateful for his soothing touch, but embarrassed at all the attention. "It's good we did it this way...I definitely learned something." They both looked at me questionably. "I learned I don't know what the hell I am doing out here." I moaned in frustration.

Emmett threw his head back and laughed, Edward just shook his head.

"Seriously guys! I pretty much picked a direction at random and went for it. How are you supposed to know which way is which without a compass?"

Emmett jumped up, "Come on, I'll show you."

Edward helped me to my feet and I was please when he didn't release my hand. We followed Emmett to a large evergreen and he pointed to a clump of greenish-grey on the bark. "See this stuff?" he asked me, "This stuff only grows on the east side of a tree. So if you walk the way it's pointed then you are going east."

Huh….that's handy to know.

Emmett walked further into the woods, beckoning us to follow. Edward walked beside of me and only released my hand once to lift me over a large fallen tree. I tried not to gape at them as they jumped over it if it was no more than a twig.

When we came to a stream Emmett waved his arm from left to right. "Streams flow downhill. In this area of the mountain, downhill is south."

"So if I studied the map and followed the stream I would be heading in a general south direction." I stated.

Emmett smiled encouragingly, and I felt like a kid who just learned to color in the lines.

"Did you check the sun?" Edward asked. I raised my eyebrows at him and looked at the hazy sky. "What sun?"

He laughed, a velvety seductive sound. "There is always more sun one way than the other unless you are at mid-day." He stepped behind me and leaned in close to my ear. I felt tingles trickle across my scalp and my mouth suddenly dried up. He raised his arm in front of me and pointed up at the sky, "Even though it's cloudy, you can tell a difference in the light concentration towards the east." I squinted up at the sky. There may be a difference there, but I may be just seeing what I wanted to see. I leaned back against Edward to look more, until I felt him stiffen ever so slightly.

"I think I see. Can we try the hide and seek again?"

Emmett looked to Edward, who turned me around to face him. "Are you sure you want to do this today?" His eyes reflected a deep concern for me, and I tried not to melt into a puddle where I stood. I was determined to master this lesson today.

"I'm sure, just don't go far…okay?"

Edward smiled gently and tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. "Of course, we will stay within yelling distance."

I took the blindfold out of my pocket but Emmett grabbed it from me before I could tie it around my head. "No no no! If you want to do this right, then we need to take you somewhere else. You up for it Bells?" He smirked at me in challenge and I narrowed my eyes at him, "Bring it on, big guy!"

He laughed and tied the blindfold over my eyes. I felt Emmett's large hand on my arm for a moment until Edward's voice came from in front of me, "I've got this Emmett."

There was a pause.

"Are you sure?" Emmett asked. Edward didn't reply, but I felt him touch my arm where Emmett's was just at. His smell invaded my nose as he moved close to my front. He took both my arms and I felt them wrap around his neck. "Hold onto me," he told me, a trace of amusement in his voice. Suddenly I was lifted and I automatically reached with my legs and gripped with my arms. He had hoisted me onto his back and I tried to find a good placed to rest my hands without choking him. I felt his body shake with a chuckle and he made sure my hands were tight around him. "We are going to go fast again Bella," he warned, then we were moving.

Like last time I could feel the wind rushing by me and the occasional raindrops on my face, but other than that I couldn't tell we were moving at all. I barely heard the occasionally rush of leaves, but the wind blocked out most of it. I was extremely glad my eyes were blindfolded, the thought of how fast we were going was enough to make me lightheaded, even without seeing the greenery fly past us.

Before I knew it, we were stopped again. Edward had to gently pry my fingers apart to get my arms loose. My legs were another story. I set my feet on ground and immediately fell on my rear. I heard Emmett's laughter and barely resisted the urge to stick my tongue out. I didn't hear Edward move, but his face was suddenly next to mine. "Are you hurt?" I could hear a trace of a smile in his voice.

I was working on getting my face back from its current red color. "Just my pride," I answered with a wry smile of my own. I turned my face to the direction I heard his voice, and I felt my lips brush against his skin. It was ice cold, and I wasn't sure what part of him I had touched but whatever it was it made him gasp at the same time I did. I swallowed thickly, "You are going to have to give me some answers."

He didn't respond, but was saved by Emmett.

"Okay Bella, we are heading….west this time. Count to five!"

I did as he asked and then took my blindfold off. The first thing I checked again was the sky. I thought I could tell a difference in the light, but I wanted to be sure this time. I looked around the trees in my area, but there didn't appear to be any of that weird green-gray stuff Emmett pointed out earlier. I shut my eyes and listened…there was running water nearby. I followed the sound and came upon a stream. I followed the direction it was flowing and position myself accordingly. I looked up at the sky and was pleased to see that it seemed to coordinate with the way I had chosen. I walked in what I hoped was a western direction.

After a few minutes I saw the last marker. The moss was growing on the back of a tree and I almost missed it. It confirmed the direction I was going. I smiled to myself, sure of my progress. After about fifteen minutes of walking I came into a small clearing, and there sat the boys… grinning at me.

My smile stretched across my face, "I did it!" Emmett stood up and gave me a bone-crushing bear hug, "I knew you could do it squirt!" I was in too good of a mood to fuss at him over the new nickname. When he released me I took a deep reviving breath. Edward stood next to me. He didn't touch me, but his smile was the biggest I had seen yet, and it warmed me all over.

I looked over to Emmett, "So, what's next?"

Edward answered for him, "You need to eat."

That sounded good to me. I took my bag off my shoulders and sat cross-legged on the ground. I pulled out my sandwich and apple. After a few bites I looked over at the guys and realized they were watching me eat. Edward's face was blank but Emmett looked at the apple and sandwich apprehensively. I swallowed the bite I was chewing. "Aren't you guys going to eat?" Edward gave a small smirk and glanced over at Emmett. "We already ate."

I narrowed my eyes, filing that under the "questions to be asked later" category.

After lunch the rain picked up and Emmett declared the lesson over. I was going to protest but he assured me that we would do another lesson soon.

"Will the next one be overnight?" I asked. Emmett regarded me carefully. "Nah, not the next one. But you will need to bring your large pack next time to condition yourself."

We walked east for a while until we came back to the trail. I checked my map and compass often as Emmett instructed. We should only be a mile or so from the cars. Edward was no longer walking behind me, but moved to my side when the trail widened. I looked over at him and drank in the sight. His hair was heavy with rain since he wore no hood. Trails of water traced over his cheeks and dripped off his jaw. I had hundreds f thoughts running through my head while I watched the path of that water, and every single one of them left me blushing. When I stumbled slightly over a root I focused my gaze on the trail ahead. I could have sworn I heart him chuckle lightly.

"Will you be able to come with us again next time?" I asked hesitantly.

I felt him look at me. "Is that what you want?"

I glanced back at him and nodded. He regarded me closely, "We really shouldn't be around each other."

I felt the sadness in his words and I desperately wished I knew why he was so reluctant to be near me. "So, you won't come?" I knew my voice sounded as disappointed as I felt.

He sighed heavily and gave me a wry smile. "No, I will come with you. I am not strong enough to stay away."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I gave him my most encouraging smile and we walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence.

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I laid in bed that night, staring at the ceiling. My body was exhausted but my mind refused to let me rest. I had gone over every detail that I knew about Edward in my head a hundred times and still ended up back at square one.

That afternoon when we had reached the trailhead and Emmett offered Edward a ride home. I had thrown my bag into the truck and stood in the rain next to it. "Thanks Emmett, I really appreciate everything you have done to help me." He grinned from the driver's seat of the Jeep. "No problem, squirt. You are actually a lot of fun!"

I rolled my eyes and laughed, yeah I am regular a barrel of monkeys.

Edward threw his bag into the back of the Jeep and then turned to me. "You start out of here first…so we know your truck at least survived to the highway." He laughed when I gave into the urge to stick my tongue out at him and I climbed into the driver's side of my truck. Before I could blink, he was standing next to me holding the door open. He reached his hand out and quickly ran his fingers down my cheek. "See you at school," he murmured and then started to close the door.

"Edward?" He stopped and looked at me.

I licked my lips again and almost smiled as he focused on that action. "Thank you…for everything." I hoped he knew I meant for more than just the lesson assistance today. He smiled and nodded…then closed the door.

I had arrived home that evening well before Charlie and had plenty of time to fix dinner and clean myself up. I tried not to talk too much about my day, afraid my guilt would give me away.

My next lesson was this Saturday. Now that I knew Edward would be there I knew this week would be the longest of my life. I wondered how he was going to act around me now. There was no denying a connection anymore, not after what happened today. When I finally fell asleep I didn't dream of the mist or the crimson eyes, I dreamt I was standing in the rain again…Edward's arms around my waist and his lips on my skin.

**Okay am I forgiven for the late posting? Bella has had a lot of patience waiting for an explanation, but that's going to change soon.**

**I wanted to mention a few things of interest. First of all , one of the great things about reading fanfiction is the variety of music you are introduced to. My new favorite song is "Your Guardian Angel" by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. I think that song is the perfect blend of acoustic and rock in one romantic song. It is mentioned in the fanfic called "Yes, for forever" by **Bronzehairedgirl620. **This lady is an AWESOME writer and her stories are fantastic!**

**Another great song is "Warmest part of the Winter" by Voxtrot. It's mentioned in the story "Black and White" by Vixen1836. This story is a controversial one I think, but it's a beautiful all-american story and really hits home for me as a Marine Wife. Let me know if you need the links to the songs on youtube, you can get the links to the stories in my profile.**

**One more story mention: "Wide Awake" by **AngstGoddess003

**ABSOLUTELY my favorite fanfic thus far. This story has made me laugh and cry and believe in love all over again. Not for those with sensitivity to rated M stuff (language, sex) but check it out if you want. You should!**

**I wont make any promises on when the next chapter will be up, I can just promise it will be as soon as possible!**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Monday came and none of the Cullen's were at school.

The disappointment I felt was weighing me down as I moved about my classes. I had woken with such a positive outlook, and the weather had matched. There were only a few fluffy clouds in the sky and the sun warmed up the earth, making things seem more colorful than ever.

I was told by Jessica the Cullen's always go on camping trips with their parents when the weather is nice. I thought it was odd that they skipped school to do so, but everyone else seemed to think this was a normal occurrence. I sat dejectedly in biology, staring at Edward's empty chair.

The next two days were the same…bright, sunny and disappointing. I kept hoping to see them appear at their table during lunch, but those seats stayed just as empty as the ones in class.

Charlie had started to notice my bad mood. He surprised me Wednesday night by coming home almost the same time I did after school. I was sitting at the dining room table working on homework when he stalked in. "Bella, we are going to La Push for dinner." I raised my eyebrows, "We are?" The only time we left the house for dinner was to go to the Lodge.

Charlie went to the closet and grabbed my coat, tossing it to me. "You need to get out of this house. Besides, Billy says Jake has been asking about you."

I felt myself flush, not really up to talking with my dad about boys…so I quickly pulled on my coat and moved out the door to cut off any further conversation on the subject.

When we pulled up to the Black's house, Jake was standing in the doorway waiting for us. He gave a bright smile that instantly lifted my spirits. Even though he was a few years younger than me you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at him. He seemed to have grown in just a few weeks. "Hey Bella! Charlie!" He walked to meet us halfway. Billy took over his post in the doorway. He reached for a hug from me and I was surprised at how natural it felt to return it. He shook hands with Charlie and stayed outside with me while the two adults moved to go inside the house. "Do you want to go down to the beach for a bit?"

"Sure." I agreed. The beautiful day made the beach even more inviting than usual. I absolutely loved the northern west coast beaches. The water pounded on the cliffs and rocks strewn over pebble filled sand. The sun made the wet surfaces glisten almost painfully and I had to shield my eyes as we emerged from the cover of the trees.

Jake and I walked along the shore while chatting idly about school and the weather. "You know, if you ever wanted to give the whole backpacking thing another try, I could give you some pointers." Jake smiled shyly at me as he offered.

I tried to make my smile genuine, "Thanks Jake, but I think it will be a while before I am ready to camp out in the woods again. Besides, Charlie has thoroughly vetoed any possibility of it happening anytime soon." All of that was technically the truth. I decided to test the waters with someone who has lived in this area all his life, and therefore may have more information on the certain pale-skinned people I was currently obsessed with.

"I have been asking some questions about hiking and stuff with some kids at my school…the Cullen's. Do you know who they are?"

Jake's smile fell just a little, "Yeah I know of them."

I pushed my luck, "Apparently they camp a lot. Do you ever see them around here?"

I looked at him questionably when he gave a dry laugh, "No, they don't come on the reservation…ever."

I didn't have to encourage them to continue. "Their family is sort of not allowed around here. It's stupid really."

I couldn't contain my curiosity. "Why? What did they do?"

Jake hesitated for a moment. "If I tell you something, don't go telling anyone else about it. I am not supposed to tell anyone not from the reservation any of our legends."

I nodded in agreement, and Jake began a tale that let my head spinning.

He spoke of his people being descendents of wolves and of a treaty they made with the "cold ones" almost a hundred years ago. I couldn't believe that he was talking about the same family I knew from Forks. He looked at my distressed expression and laughed. "Geez Bella! It's just a story…some campfire talk, you know?"

I tried to smile at him, "Yeah, good story though." Jake continued talking of another story about some boy who grew up to be a warrior that saved his people, but I only half-listened. I was reeling from the information I had gathered, and I had gotten so much more than I bargained for.

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Charlie and I had dinner and drove back to Forks in silence. That wasn't a big change from the usual, but this time it was because I was lost in thought. I was mentally making a list of things I wanted to look up on the internet when I got home. I answered Charlie's question to whether I enjoyed the evening or not and then said a hasty goodnight, claiming the need to finish homework. I booted up my ancient computer and started on my mental list.

By midnight I was biting my lip and running my hand through my hair anxiously. Jake had little to fear about revealing some big secret, pretty much anything you could ever want to know about the "cold ones" was there just waiting to be Google'd.

I felt the extreme urge to stick my head between my knees again in panic. Of course I knew that there was something odd about Edward, and I suspected the rest of his family had some special abilities as well. But I never suspected this. Somehow, it all seemed to fit. There was no denying the connection of the events I had witnessed with the information so callously sprawled out across my computer screen.

Somehow I managed to switch off my computer and move to my bed. I didn't have any less questions now than I did earlier today, but now I had a pretty good idea of what the answers would be. For the first time since I arrived at Forks I prayed for rain.

**Yeah this was the shortest chapter ever, but it needed to be done. I didn't recount the whole treaty story with Jake because let's be honest, we know the tale by heart, you don't need me regurgitating it.**

**I wanted to end it here and post to give you guys a little something to make up for my slow posting but also because I want to bring Edward back…I know you want it too!**

**Check out my profile for the link to my Wilderness banner. I still need one for Physical Encounter but I can't find anything good! Please help!**


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

For once, the weather actually listened to me and then some. It wasn't just raining the next morning, it was pouring. I could barely see out the window to my bright red truck sitting alone in the driveway. Charlie had apparently already left for the day.

I was very motivated to get to school promptly that morning and I dressed more carefully than usual, although I am not sure why I bothered when I was going to be covered in a raincoat all day. I chose a deep blue v-neck sweater to go along with dark brown pants. I scoffed at the thought of wearing anything besides my boots on a day like today.

The fog of a sleepless night settled around me, causing frequent returns to the sink to splash cold water on my face. I was torn about how I should be feeling about seeing Edward and the others again. I _should _be afraid, I _should _stay away from them and just let things be. But there was a bigger part of me that wanted to know the truth…and every part of me wanted to be near Edward again.

With a glance at the clock I shoved a granola bar into my mouth and looked out the driveway again. If it was even possible, the rain was coming down even harder. I thought of the ancient truck waiting for me and for the first time I felt apprehensive about driving it. It would probably be smart to wait for the rain to slow down, and I had a feeling a lot of other students would be forgivably late because of the weather, but I couldn't wait to see if Edward was in school today for another minute.

I shrugged into my thick raincoat and pulled the hood tightly over my head as I pushed open the door. Adding to my apprehension about driving was a forceful wind, gusts rocking me as I moved down the steps of the porch.

I held one hand on my hood to keep it from flying off and the other on the rail of the porch. Despite my careful steps I still managed to slip on the bottom step and fall painfully onto my hip. I didn't feel like I broke anything, but it stung.

I let out a surprised cry as a pair of strong hands lifted me to my feet. I held onto my hood and looked up into a concerned pair of topaz eyes. Edward raked his gaze over me and kept his hands on my arms to steady me. "Are you okay?" he called over the wind and rain. He wore a rain jacket today and his hood was pulled over his head as tight as mine was, blocking my view of his spectacular hair.

I wasn't sure if I was okay or not. His sudden appearance was startling itself, but when I looked at his pale face I was reminded of the descriptions I had read online last night. I wanted to blurt out all my suspicions and questions right there, in the driving rain and wind in my front yard. I searched myself, not for any injuries he was inquiring about, but for the fear that _should_ be running through me at his close proximity. The only thing my search found was a need to be even closer than we were already.

"Bella?" He seemed to find my stunned silence a little amusing. I shook my head slightly and started with an obvious non-threatening question. "What are you doing here?"

Edward gave me a half-smile and released my arms. He gestured to his silver car parked in my once-empty driveway. "How about a ride?"

I hesitated momentarily… then overrode all of my good senses to stay away from him and started walking. The first few steps had my limping from my fall and Edward narrowed his eyes in evaluation and concern and then reached for my elbow. He guided me to his car and kept me steady when I honestly probably would have slipped again and then secured me into the passenger seat. His car was warm and soothing, and I felt a cringe at the thought of my wet clothes soaking into the expensive upholstery.

Within a heartbeat he was in the driver's seat smiling at me. I gave him a timid one back. "Not that I am not appreciative, but what made you decide to drop by?"

He didn't bother to buckle his seat-belt before he pulled onto the main road. He drove a lot faster than I thought was safe in this weather, but he seemed relaxed and confident in his driving, so I didn't complain. "Not to insult your truck or your driving skills, but I had a bad feeling you wouldn't make it to school." He softened his words with his gorgeous smile. I tried not to take it as an insult. "I have been driving just as long as you have," I pointed out. He looked back and the road and smirked…and I filed that expression away along with the fact he didn't agree with me.

"You are used to the desert. I don't suppose you get a lot of coastal storms out there, right?"

He had me there. I looked out the window without responding, my mind already on what question I wanted to ask next. To my disappointment we were already at the school entrance. He pulled into his usual parking space and I saw Emmett's jeep next to us. That explains how the rest of the group got to school this morning. Edward started to exit the car but I put a hand onto his coat-clad arm. "Edward, wait."

He turned and shut the door he just opened. I took a breath and tried to not stammer nervously. "There are some questions I have been wanting to ask for a long time…I think I know the answers to most of them now, but I want to ask you anyways. I need to know some things."

His expressions hardened. "Why can't you just let it go?"

"Why can't you stay away from me?" I countered.

He pursed his lips and my heart pounded, waiting for his next words. He looked out into the parking lot and watched a few people run through the rain into the classroom buildings. His voice was strained as he answered me, "Not here…not right now."

I pushed on, "After school today?"

He shook his head, "I need to talk to my family…as you probably have guessed this concerns them too. We will talk this Saturday when we go to the forest."

I felt elated at the promise of an explanation, but frustrated at the wait. He turned to me with a speculative look, "Just how much do you _think_ you know?"

I tried to look confident, "I looked some stuff up…online." I felt it best to omit Jake's part in starting my online quest. Edward shook his head and gave a sarcastic chuckle. "The internet…of course." He sighed then and gave me a small smile. I missed his crooked grin and I hoped that after we talked I would still be able to see it again.

"Let's go to class before we're late."

We both left the car and pushed against the wind and rain and entered the building. I walked to my class and tried to keep the pleasure from spreading across my face when Edward followed me to my classroom. He gave me one more small smile and then walked back to the exit doors…his class was in the next building, which meant he had come into this one just to walk me to my class. I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face when I walked to my seat.

Emmett was already seated and smiled back at me, giving me a light hi-five as I passed him. Jessica looked at me with an open-mouth stare. I sat and tried to look involved in my history book, but she wasn't buying it. "What….the hell…was that?" she stammered out. I tried to look innocent and clueless for a second, but then gave in. Shrugging to downplay it I whispered to her, "I have been sort of talking to Emmett about hiking and stuff."

She looked at me like I had been talking to Elvis.

"You do realize he is with Rosalie, right? And no offense Bella, but if it came to blows she could totally take you down."

I agreed.

"I am not dating him Jessica, I am just asking him for advice and stuff…we are just friends."

She raised one perfectly groomed eyebrow, "And Edward?" I winced, she must have seen him escort me to class. "Edward is….something else."

Jessica kept staring at me, waiting. I threw my hands up in frustration. "I can't describe it. But he is helping me too." Probably more than I even knew.

Jessica leaned closer to me to grill me further, but the teacher called the class to order and she had to remain quiet. I felt her suspicious gaze pierce me every now and then, but I kept my face towards the front. When the bell rang I was one of the first ones out of the door.

I came around the corner slammed right into Edward. It was like hitting a brick wall. He reached out and steadied me with a laugh, "Where's the fire?" I remembered to breathe as I relished the feeling of being in his arms again. Before I could recover, he looked down at my dazed expression, "Have I told you that you look lovely? That color suits you."

I flushed pleasantly, not sure hot to react to his flattery. I glanced over my shoulder, "Thank you, but I should go. I'm avoiding someone."

He narrowed his eyes at Mike Newton as the blonde-haired boy stared at us while walking down the hall. "I would avoid him too, he can't control his hormones."

I shook my head, "Not him…"

"Ahh," Edward smiled, looking at Jessica as she gawked at us. I flushed bright red, wondering how it looked to be so close to Edward and started to back away. Edward just smiled brightly at her and threw his arm around my shoulders, bringing me even closer.

"She grilled you this morning, and she will try to get you again at lunch."

I snapped my face to his and stared at him in shock, "How did you…can you actually….no way!" His smile turned into more of a grimace.

"Saturday." He reminded me. My patience was wearing thin.

"You swear you will tell me?" I looked at him closely for any sign of dishonesty. He sighed and looked resigned, "It's the last thing I should do. I _should_ drop this whole thing now and walk away."

I couldn't help myself, apparently a masochist. "Then why don't you?"

He squeezed my shoulders and we began moving towards the doors. "I would rather walk you to your next class."

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The pattern continued for my next few classes. Edward would walk me to my class and be waiting for me when the period was over. I held off asking questions during our walks together, I was too busy enjoying my time with him.

When he came to walk me to lunch I was nervous again. We hadn't talked about our seating arrangements and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to join my friends or his. The thought of sitting at the same table with an angry Rosalie and an on-edge Jasper soured my appetite almost as much as the thought of an interrogation by Jessica. Edward followed me in the lunch line and picked a couple of items up seemingly at random. I selected an apple and a bottle of water again. He looked down at my selection and frowned.

After paying for my meal I hesitated on where to move next. Edward just smirked at me and led me to an empty table in the middle of the cafeteria…neutral territory. I could feel the stares of my friends on my back and I didn't need to look to know that Edward's family was watching us as well.

We sat down and Edward slid his tray of food over to me. I looked at him in question and he gave me a stern look. "You need to eat more than an apple."

I picked up my apple and bit into it defiantly. "What about you?"

He shook his head and smiled, "I thought you had all the answers."

I chewed thoughtfully. "I do have one question…where have you been the last few days?"

"In the forest."

I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow, "Camping?"

He glanced around him quickly and smirked at me, "Not exactly."

"Saturday, right?" He nodded, "Only if you eat something substantial." He gestured to the pizza slice sitting in front of me. I rolled my eyes and took a bite. Taking a risk, I turned my eyes to his former table. Alice was leaning against Jasper, whispering in his ear and smiling while looking at me. Emmett had his arm slung around Rosalie and while he wasn't looking at us, Rosalie was glaring.

I sighed and Edward's eyes questioned me. I shifted uncomfortably. "Why does Rosalie act like she hates me? I don't really even know her."

His face turned stony for a second and he turned his head to look at her. Rosalie didn't back down and continued to glare in our direction. He turned back to me and gave me an apologetic expression. "Ignore her. She is intimidated by you."

I nearly choked on the mouthful of water I had just taken from my bottle. "Intimidated by me? Rosalie Hale?"

Edward leaned close to me again and looked up at me with intensity, conveying the importance of his words. "You are a threat to us, even if you only know a small part of our story. She feels…uncomfortable having an outsider involved."

I looked at hands laying on the table. I couldn't really blame her for that. If the roles had been reversed, could I have really trusted a total stranger with something potentially threatening to me and my family?

In my line of vision I saw Edward's hand shift on the table near mine, and for a moment I thought he was going to grasp my hand in his. His hands stilled not even an inch from mine. "It doesn't really help that you are smart, charming and beautiful." His voice laid over me like a thick, warm blanket. I looked back up to him to see if he was teasing, but his expression was entirely serious, his eyes locked onto mine. My skin slowly heated up and I felt my breath moving in and out quicker.

The bell rang to signal the end of the lunch period, and it was like a cold bucket of water being poured over me. I reached for what was left of lunch to dispose of it, but Edward had already picked it up and was moving towards the trash can. He smiled at me and was polite enough not to laugh when I stumbled out of my chair on my way to his side.

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At the end of gym I had expected Edward to wait for me like he did after my classes earlier that day. But when I walked towards the parking lot I saw that Alice had beaten me out there and was standing with her brothers and sister. They were huddled together between the Jeep and Edward's car. I stood in the drizzle and debated on whether or not to walk up to them. Edward's profile was hard as stone as he listened to something Rosalie was saying to him. They all appeared to be taking turns discussing something. Alice turned her head from the group and smiled at me apologetically. I had a feeling this was not going well and it may take a while to resolve. I moved passed the now-empty parking lot and started walking along the main road towards Charlie's house. It didn't bother me to walk home, I had originally thought I would have to do this daily before Charlie bought me the truck. I was just thankful that the rain had almost completely stopped. The breeze was still there, just not in breath-stealing gusts.

The low sound of an approaching engine prompted me to move a little farther off the road and out of the way, but I stopped walking when Edward's car pulled up next to me. He rolled down the passenger window next to me and looked at me angrily. "What do you think you are doing?"

I pointed to the road ahead, "My house is only a couple of miles…"

Edward cut me off by reaching over and pushing the passenger door open. "I am not letting you walk home. Get in."

I hurried to scramble in and he was driving before I could snap my seatbelt. Once again the scenery passed by too quickly. I felt the need to explain before we could reach the house. "I didn't want to interrupt. You looked like you were involved in some sort of intense family discussion or something."

Edward's hands were clenched almost as much as his jaw was. "You could say that."

I bit my lip and turned my eyes towards the front as we turned the corner to Charlie's house. "It was about me, wasn't it?"

He pulled into Charlie's empty parking space and turned his car off. He turned to look at me and his face softened. "Yes…but don't worry about it."

I snorted. Like that was going to happen.

He smiled and tugged on a strand of my hair. I couldn't help but smile as I turned to look at him, caught in his dazzling gaze.

He got out of the car and was at my door before I could move my hand to unbuckle my seatbelt. After closing the car door behind me he walked with me to the front door. I played with my keys a little longer than necessary. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

He looked up at the sky. "Alice says the weather will be overcast, so yes I will be there."

I shook my head at his confusing answers. "I can't friggen wait until Saturday."

He laughed and I somehow successfully kept my knees from knocking together. He reached out and ran his fingers along my jaw lightly. "I'll see you soon, Bella."

He walked back to his car as I stood there trying to get my senses back. As he sat idling in the driveway, I realized he was waiting for me to go inside, so I hurriedly inserted the key into the door. When I crossed the threshold and turned to wave, he was already gone.

**Okay this one wasn't as long as the others, but it was chock full-o-Edward, so that should make you happy!**

**The reviews are great! Keep them coming… to those of you who review with every chapter (you know who you are)….ya'll just butter my biscuits! You're so sweet! : )**

**Let me know what you think of my banner for this story…still waiting for inspiration on the one for Physical Encounter!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer has all the good stuff.**

Chapter 10

Friday passed similar to the day before…Edward driving me to school and walking me to my classes…sitting with me during lunch and driving me home again that afternoon, all while avoiding glares and whispers. When he pulled up outside my house I turned in my seat to face him. "What time should I meet you guys tomorrow?" Edward looked surprised at me. "Do you not want me to pick you up?"

I smiled in appreciation, "Thanks, but Charlie thinks I am going to Port Angeles for the day, so my truck needs to be gone." I hesitated for a moment.

"What does….Alice…say about the weather?" I felt stupid for even asking such a ridiculous question, but Edward didn't appear to find the context unusual.

"Its going to start off wet, but the clouds will thin out by the afternoon."

I nodded and opened up my door. Edward started to get out of his car as well, but stopped and stared out his windshield to the road leading to the house. "What?" I asked, craning my neck to try to see what had his attention. He turned back to me and gave me a tight smile. "Nothing, I will see you tomorrow at seven?" I groaned thinking about how early I had to get up and he chuckled at my reaction. I shut the passenger door and he pulled away.

As soon as his silver car disappeared around the curve I heard the sound of another vehicle approaching. Charlie's cruiser pulled into the parking space and I immediately saw he was not alone. Billy Black was in the front seat with a smiling Jacob in the back behind the safety grate. Charlie got out and called out at greeting to me and opened the back door for Jacob. While he pulled his father's wheelchair out of the trunk and assisted Billy into it, Charlie came up to me. "Bella, I hope you don't mind but I thought we could have them over for dinner and watch the game." If I didn't know any better I would think that Charlie was hiding something…his eyes wouldn't meet mine and he had a slight blush on his cheeks. He was no good at lying or keeping secrets…must be hereditary. I prayed he wasn't trying to sell me on dating Jake.

I smiled anyways. "No problem, there is plenty of fish thawed out." Charlie grinned at me and moved to help Billy inside. Jacob shuffled over to me with his hands in his pockets. "Sorry about showing up with no warning. It was kind of planned with out my knowledge either." I rolled my eyes and sighed, "Dads…what do you do, right?"

"Sure, sure." He laughed and I was able to admire his bright smile. I could easily see myself being attracted to him, if my very existence didn't revolve around a certain pale-skinned, bronze-haired, and possibly dangerous Edward Cullen.

I walked beside Jake into the house and started getting food prepared for dinner. He lounged against the counter chatting with me while I worked and we laughed at the comments being made by our fathers from the other room.

I poked at the fish sitting in the home-made marinade. "So, you aren't going to join in the male-bonding time out there?" I gestured to the living room with my spoon. Jake grinned and shook his head. "Naw, I am having fun right here. Besides, there is another game on after that…and then another after that…"

I looked at him incredulously, "Just how long did you guys plan on staying…for the weekend?" I smiled to show him I was joking. He sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. "No offense but I sincerely hope not. Despite what some may think I do have a life!"

"Oh, you had big plans tonight? Like a date?" I tried to keep my voice light, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. He looked at me for a moment, grin still in place.

"Not exactly. There is a group of people meeting up tonight. Nothing big, just campfires and hanging out…swapping stories and stuff."

I looked back to the fish and marinade, stirring it slightly. "Story swapping? Like the story you told me?" I kept my voice to what I hoped was a politely interested level. Jake seemed to buy it. "Yeah, there are stories like that…along with the usual trash-talk from school." I could here the smile in his voice. "Sound like fun."

"Do you want to go? I mean, when Billy and I head back you can come with us and I can show you what I am talking about."

I thought about his offer. A huge part of me wanted to go, not only for the companionship but to possibly learn anything more about the legend Jake had told me earlier in the week. But I should pass on it and get some rest for the hiking lesson tomorrow. "Thanks Jake, but I am heading out of town for the day tomorrow and need to get up early."

"That's okay, we can just go now and hang out and be back before the games are over."

I looked out the back window at the sky darkening over the treetops. It sounded like a good plan and even though I may be tired in the morning, I couldn't pass up the opportunity laid out in front of me. I turned back to Jake to see him pleading me with his large brown eyes. I laughed at him, "Okay, enough with the puppy-dog look! We can go after dinner, as long as you don't mind riding in the old truck." Jake scoffed at me. "It beats riding in the back of a police cruiser."

After dinner we told our fathers what our plans were. Billy didn't tear his eyes from the television but just nodded to show he listened. Charlie looked pointedly from Jake to me. "Have fun, but be home in a few hours and for God's sake stay in sight of the others." I flushed and quickly pulled on my coat before I could make a sarcastic comment back to him.

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Jake had me park at his house. Night had fallen and there was little light guiding us down the path that led to the beach. After stumbling repeatedly Jake reached out and grabbed my hand. I was shocked to feel how warm it was, and I was reminded of the obvious difference in his and Edward's hands. When we emerged from the thick trees, I saw the glow of a campfire a good distance away along the shore. The moon was hidden behind thick clouds and I knew there were deep tidal pools nearby…so I didn't object when Jake didn't release my hand while we walked to the group surrounding the fire.

I let go of his hand as he introduced his friends, mostly boys. I caught a name here and there…Quill, Embry, Seth…and the only other girl there was Seth's sister, Leah. They all had long dark hair and beautiful brown skin. As they looked at me warily I felt aware of how much of an outsider I was. Jake ignored their looks and sat with me on a piece of driftwood next to the inviting flames. I felt it best to remain inconspicuous for the time being, talking only when I was directly addressed, which wasn't often.

They mostly talked about people from their school or things they had done during the summer break. Eventually, one story led to another and Quill began recalling a tale he had heard from his father.

"We all know the stories about our ancestor's origin." He looked at me briefly and I remembered Jake's request to keep his story to me a secret, so I feigned innocent interest. "My father told me that on his friend's fifteenth birthday his father took him out to the forest to hunt…as is the tradition in their family." The other guys all nodded knowingly. "Well during this trip, they came across a set of tracks, but they weren't of an animal, they were bare-foot human tracks. The footprints were sprinkled with fresh blood"

I shivered, eerily enthralled by the story already.

"They followed the tracks, concerned that someone was wandering around, lost and hurt. After a few miles, the tracks ended up against a quarry wall." Quill paused for dramatic effect. I leaned forward and held my breath.

"Finding nothing, they turned around to go back and in their path was a young woman. The woman was said to have hair as bright as this fire," he flicked his hand towards the red-orange flames, "and her skin was pale as the moon and sparkled in the sun like a thousand stars. She wore nothing but animal hide and her feet were bare.

"His father approached the woman asking if she was hurt. The woman didn't answer, but gave a brilliant smile. The boy's father became entranced and dropped his weapon as he walked up to her. The boy was afraid for his father; he knew that this woman was evil."

I remembered to breath and I was a little relieved to see that the others seemed as captured by the tale as I was.

"The boy called out to his father, but it was too late. The woman smiled again at his father, caressing his face and then spun him around so he was facing his son. She pulled his head to the side and her teeth sank into his neck. The father's blood poured out of him, soaking the ground beneath them while the boy screamed."

I felt like ice had formed in my veins. This story was disturbingly similar to the ones I had read in my research. I wanted to leave right then, I wanted to run back to the house and wait until the morning, until I could see Edward again. I couldn't connect the creature in this horrific story to the one who treated me with such tenderness.

Quill smiled slightly, continuing his story. "When the woman had finished with the father, she turned to the son. As she took her first step towards him a howl echoed through the woods. The woman gasped and looked up at the top of the rock wall the boy was huddled against. Her face twisted in fear and she ran away through the trees so fast the boy didn't have a chance to blink.

When the boy looked up to the top of the wall, there was nothing there. Legend says that anytime our land is threatened, our ancestors will appear to protect the next generation. The boy lived to pass the tale to his sons."

His story was met with silence. I could see thoughtful reverence on the boy's faces, but my silence was due to my heart being torn in two different directions. I felt tears threatening to appear, but before I could give in to my emotions, Seth stood up and let out a loud howl. I jumped at the sound, but the others laughed and a few joined in. I grabbed a hold of my emotions, determined to make it back to my house before I fell into the conflicted hole I was digging myself into.

I tried to smile at something Jake had said, but my mind wandered. I looked across the black water…it was eerie to hear the crashing of the waves, but it was so dark I was unable to see them. I slowly scanned the beach and my gaze turned to the dark forest. A few trees were illuminated slightly by the driftwood fire. The shadows of the flames made the leaves appear to be moving.

I almost missed the motion out of the corner of my eye.

I froze, staring at the spot…my eyes strained against the low light. I thought I was the only one that heard the low snapping of a twig, but Leah's head came up at the sound. I looked to her to see that she too was staring at the forest. The others noticed her movement and seemed more alert as well, quieting down. Jacob's arm came around my waist and his face showed no sign of innocent flirtation. His eyes were narrowed at the dark trees. I felt my heart speed up, telling myself it was because of Quill's story. I felt irrational at being afraid of shadows, but I think my anxiety stemmed from the tenseness of the group around me.

Jake looked down and gave a tight smile. "Time to get back, don't you think?" He didn't wait for my answer, but stood up and kicked sand onto the smoldering flames. The others stood as well and Jake kept his arm around my waist as we walked back to the trail. I wasn't sure if the others had come from the same direction we had, but I was grateful to see that we now walked close together through the forest. I don't think I was able to breathe again until I saw Jake's house.

Jake and I said goodnight to everyone as they piled into an old car and pulled away. It was difficult to keep myself from running to my truck and peeling out of there. Jake tried to be discreet, but I caught him glancing back at the forest several times.

I drove back to Forks, glancing in my rear-view mirror less and less as we got closer to my house. Now that we were away from La Push, I felt silly for being frightened. Jake seemed to relax as well and we playfully argued over the two radio stations that my truck was able to receive.

Billy was ready to go when we got back home. I said goodnight to him and Jake, gave Charlie an edited version of the evening's events and then headed up to my bedroom…resisting the urge to check the closet and hide beneath the covers.

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I gasped and my eyes flew open. My heart pounded almost painfully in my chest.

I couldn't remember if I was dreaming or not, but the feeling that woke me was real. I knew I wasn't alone.I flung myself up in bed and choked when I tried to scream.

Edward was standing by the open window, his face unreadable. I coughed and held my hand to my throat while he inched closer to me, his hands raised in a non-threatening gesture. "It's okay, it's just me Bella." His voice was low and soothing. I felt my pulse slow in response and I was able to take a normal breath in and out.

I sat with a tense posture, feeling both elated at his presence and terrified at the images left over from Quill's story. He glanced at my hands that were fisted on my blanket. He dropped his hands slowly and took a step backwards towards the window. "I'm sorry," he whispered and I knew he was about to leave.

"Wait!" I called out quietly, aware of Charlie sleeping in the next room. Edward paused and regarded my expression. I tried relaxing my shoulders and unclenching my fists. "What are you doing here?" I whispered. He stepped away from the window again, but instead of moving towards me he sat in the rocking chair across the bedroom.

"Are you alright?" His head lowered slightly and I could feel his eyes moving over me. I was very aware of my lack of pants and I tucked the blanket more firmly around my waist. I shook my head slightly, "Other than you almost giving me a heart-attack I am fine." He seemed to relax and sat back a little in the chair. I waited for him to answer my question.

"I was…worried." Edward seemed almost uncomfortable as he admitted this. "I thought something had happened to you tonight."

My brows pulled together in confusion. "You had…what… a bad feeling or something?"

"Something a little more than that. I believed that your life was in danger."

I shivered involuntarily, remembering the mysterious presence in the forest. He saw my reaction and reached for the decorative blanket on the back of the rocking chair. He kept an eye on my expression as he hesitantly moved to my bedside and draped the blanket over my shoulders. My eyes widened as something clicked into place in my mind and his hands froze, holding the ends of the blanket. "What is it?" he asked.

"You have been here before...in my room." I stated, remembering the night I woke to find the same blanket draped over me. He looked at me intensely and I felt myself drawn to him all over again. His scent flowed over me and gave me a feeling close to lethargy. He sighed and stood upright and I automatically moved over in the bed to make room for him to sit next to me. When he hesitated I patted the area next to me. He seemed to wage some sort of internal battle, then finally sank onto the mattress. Our bodies weren't touching, but I could feel the current flowing between us as if we were skin-to-skin. We had our faces turned to each other, and I struggled to remember what we had been talking about. "So, you came here to see if I was…in danger?"

His lips parted slightly and his eyes became hooded, as if he was sleepy. The dark circles underneath his eyes accentuated the look. "It's complicated, and I am not sure how much you can hear before you decide to start running."

I gave him a direct look. "I am not going anywhere." I may have leaned a little closer to him. "I know you are going to tell me everything tomorrow morning, but at least tell me one thing…why are you here?"

His dark brows came together over his amber eyes in confusion. "I told you, I thought your life was in danger."

"Yes, but _why_ are you here? What made you show up in the middle of the night just to see if I was okay?"

Edward broke our gaze and closed his eyes. He sighed and ran a pale hand through his messy hair. I stayed rooted to my spot, impatiently waiting.

He smiled slightly when he looked back at me. "I feel very…protective of you. I don't understand it any better than you do. Explaining it fully is impossible. But when I was told your future was uncertain," he paused and I felt my cheek heat in response to the cold palm he laid against it, "I nearly lost my mind. I couldn't bear the thought of you being hurt and I was unable to get to you."

His words caused more questions than answers, but I was still locked into his hypnotic eyes. His lips stayed slightly parted and I felt the blood rush to my own lips. I slowly reached my hand up and paused as he stiffened. I locked eyes with him and brushed my fingertips over his sculpted cheek bone. His fingers twitched against my face and his eyes slid shut. I moved my fingers from his cheek and lightly ran them over his parted lips. My own breath stopped as cold air moved over my fingertips. He sucked in his breath and in a flash had my hand trapped in his own, the one previously cupping my face. His eyes flew open and he moved across the little space we had left between us.

I shifted my body to turn fully towards him and jumped at the loud crash as my biology book banged against the floor. We both froze as Charlie's snores stopped. Edward pursed his lips for a second, then gave me a crooked smile…his lips moving away from my waiting ones and onto my cheek. His touch burned my skin in the most wonderful way. He moved his lips to my ear, softly brushing my hair away. "Tomorrow," he whispered and my eyes slid shut and I bit my lips to keep from moaning. When I opened my eyes, Edward was gone and the window was shut. I didn't have the presence of mind to pretend to be asleep when Charlie came to my door. He slowly peeked in, "Bella? You alright?"

I cleared my throat. "Umm, yeah. I must have left my book on the bed and it woke me when it hit the floor. Sorry about that."

Charlie just grunted and shut the door. Within a minute his snores started back up.

I jumped out of my bed and raced to the window. Pressing my forehead against the cool glass I searched for any sign of Edward. The dimly lit yard revealed nothing out of the ordinary.

I flopped onto my back on the bed and went over the events of the evening in my mind. The tingle of fear I had from Quill's story was still there, but it was being heavily overshadowed with my attraction to Edward. Surprisingly I was already falling asleep, thinking only about what almost occurred in my bedroom and not about the answers I would be getting in the morning.

**SOOOO? What do you think? I can't get enough of Edward in her bedroom…it makes me very very happy and I hope it makes you very very happy. I am bringing the Werewolf foreshadowing in a little early, but hey… its my story. I hope the story about a certain red-haired vampire wasn't too stupid…it was hard to write!**

**I hope to get another chapter out soon but this week is getting busy, so review enough to guilt me into staying up and working on another one!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Let me check in my purse *Digs deep into the endless bag*….ummm….no. Nope, still don't own them. I will keep checking though.**

Chapter 11

I pulled up to the trailhead, thinking I was going to be early for once, but Emmett's Jeep was already there, waiting in the same spot as last time. The senseless love-sick little girl in me hoped that it was because Edward was as eager as I was to be together again.

I jumped out of my truck and grabbed my pack from the bed. Looking around, I didn't see Emmett or Edward in the area. "Hello?" I called out; there was no answer. The rain had held off so far, but I wore my raincoat just in case. I also sported a knit cap and gloves this time, remembering how chilly I was during our last hike.

I started towards the trailhead when a flash of white on Emmett's windshield caught my eye. A piece of paper waved gently in the breeze, caught under one of the wiper blades. I picked up the paper and read the note addressed to me.

"_Bella, load up your pack with the rocks set beside the Jeep, you will thank me one of these days when you are a hiking champ! Go a quarter of a mile down the trail. When you see the stream, cross it and head northwest for half an hour. We will meet you there, squirt!_

_Emmett_

Below Emmett's nearly eligible scrawl was a side note, written in a more elegant script.

_Please, be careful. See you soon._

_Edward_

I smiled and tucked the note in my jacket pocket, but my smile quickly faded when I saw the large pile of rocks Emmett was talking about.

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An hour later I pushed aside a large fern leaf and saw my boys lounging in a small clearing, grinning at me. "Perfect score again Bella! Did you use your compass?"

I groaned and dropped my heavy pack with a thud. "Yep. I checked it against the map, as well as the other markers showing me where to go." I smiled, more than a little proud of myself as I rotated one shoulder while holding a hand against it. "I think I hate you now though. Did you leave any rocks in the forest or are they all in my bag?" Emmett laughed and patted me on the head. "Aww, come on squirt! Pain is weakness leaving the body!" I just rolled my eyes and scoffed.

Edward walked up to me, an amused smile on his perfect face. This time, neither of them had bothered with jackets or packs. He wore a plain black cotton shirt that hugged his chest and arms. I furtively checked for any drool that may have found its way down my chin.

He reached one hand up and tucked a loose strand of hair up in my cap. His fingers were ice cold, but that wasn't the reason I shivered. "How's your back?" he grinned. I narrowed my eyes at him, but had to fight not to smile back at him. "My back is fine, it's my shoulders that are killing me. This is so much more weight than I had when I wore it last time."

"That's because you didn't have all the proper equipment. Each person on a hike should have everything they need if they become separated from the group." He smiled secretively and leaned closer to me as he talked quietly. "If you want to take a few rocks out, I won't tell Emmett.

I turned to see that Emmett had my bag and was sitting on a log several feet away, adjusting the straps and the bag's contents. Although he shouldn't have heard us, his head shot up and he glared at Edward as if he had. I sighed. "No, that's okay. I have to do it to condition myself, right?"

Emmett buckled my bag shut and stood up with his usual large smile. "That's my girl!"

Edward growled behind me and Emmett just snickered at him. I didn't even ask what that was about.

"Alright Bells, I made some adjustments so you should be able to carry this thing easier." I thought he was going to hold it for me, but he just placed it on the ground in front of me. "When you lift something this heavy, you will get tired before you even take a step if you don't do it right. Lift it up high enough to prop it on your knee, then use your leg to help lift it on one shoulder…then lean forward and pop the bag up on your back, keeping it higher than you would a regular back-pack."

I listened to his instructions, then gave it a whirl. I accomplished my task, but not without some loud grunts and groans and almost falling on my face when I leaned forward. Edward stood to my side with his hands out, ready to help if it looked like I couldn't handle it. Emmett pulled a few more straps then asked how it felt. I walked in a circle around them, and hopped up and down a little. "Better." I sounded surprised. Emmett handed me my map and compass and briefly explained where we were going to go that day. Basically we were going to cut through the woods and join back up with the trail a little later. "Today we have two goals, squirt." Emmett walked on one side of me while Edward claimed the other. We pushed through thick foliage and walked over stones and logs. So far, I had remained upright.

"One is to start getting you conditioned for heavy hiking. The other is to teach you how to live off the land."

I liked the sound of that, it ranked up there with one of the most important things to know in my personal opinion.

We met up with the trail a little later and continued on the path. I walked in silence, willing Edward to start talking to me. I knew he hadn't forgotten what he promised me, and I knew he was waiting for the right moment to tell me. My whole body felt tense, even though at some point along the way I had realized that it didn't matter what he said. I mean, I was curious of course, but no matter what he told me, my feelings for him wouldn't change. I have heard and read the worst possibilities of his explanation over the past couple of weeks, but somehow I still felt impossibly drawn to him…my heart was already with the silent, beautiful, pale-skinned man walking beside me. That fact surprised me more than anything else I had found out in the past few weeks.

We reached a marked campsite and I gratefully took a break. I took Emmett's suggestion and dropped my pack onto a rock so I wouldn't have as far to lift it when we continued. Edward dropped down on the ground near me and we leaned up against some boulders. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, willing the ache in my muscles to leave my body…and trying not to focus on the fact that I still had a long walk back to my truck.

Edward's foot nudged mine and I opened my eyes to meet his. He looked at me thoughtfully. "What are you thinking about, right now?"

I shook my head lazily, "Nothing."

He narrowed his eyes, "I'm sure that isn't true. This is very frustrating."

I laughed, "Why do you need to know what I am thinking?"

"Because I _can't._" His voice stressed on the significance of that statement, and I sat up a little straighter, waiting for him to continue.

Edward glanced over at Emmett, who was not bothering to conceal his eavesdropping. He nodded at Edward's unspoken request and stood up. "I am going to scope out some food…" And then we were alone.

Edward sighed, "You should eat and drink something."

I laughed quietly, "I don't think I can lift my arms enough to do anything right now."

Edward reached up into my bad and rummaged for the sandwich and apple I had packed. He handed them to me and then unlatched my canteen from my pack. I thanked him and began nibbling on the food. "What did you mean, when you said you don't know what I am thinking?"

Edward gestured to my forgotten sandwich and I took a large bite, waiting.

"I can hear people's thoughts. I can understand what they are thinking all the time…except you."

I was stunned, this was not something I had expected. I was a little disturbed to know I was different from other people, but mostly relieved he hadn't heard my embarrassing thoughts since I met him. "So, you have never been able to hear what I am thinking, but everyone at school…"

"Within a certain radius and based on how much I know that person, I can hear everyone."

"Wow." That was a big understatement. He shook his head and smiled ruefully. "That wasn't the reaction I expected."

"Well, I knew something was…different about you. Though I didn't think it was _that_."

His face closed down, becoming guarded. "There is more….so much more. This is your last chance to leave. After this, nothing will be normal again."

I grabbed his hand out of impulse, and the action made his face looked pained. I poured all my trust into my eyes. "It's too late. I can't leave."

"What are your theories?"

"Well, I heard some stories and read some things from what I knew about you." I hesitated, feeling somehow ridiculous speaking out loud of the incredible ideas running through my head. "You are pale, too pale…even for Forks. Your skin is ice-cold, you don't eat…at least not that I have seen. Your strength is…unbelievable, and you have shown a few times me how fast you are. Not to mention you disappear on sunny days."

I paused when he stood and moved to lean against a large, shaded evergreen. I closed my eyes as a splinter of sun broke through the clouds, filtered through trees and shined directly on my face. I blinked at Edward, who gave me a wary look across the clearing. "You know what I am." It wasn't a question.

I felt my throat dry up, and I cleared it reflexively. My palms felt sweaty and my pulse raced. "Are….are you a…v-vampire?" My voice squeaked on the last word.

Edward walked slowly over to me, still in the shadows of the trees. He squatted down in front of me and reached his hand out, his sleeves rolled up revealing muscular forearms. I gasped when his hand penetrated the circle of sunlight surrounding me.

All the stories I had read about vampires and direct sunlight flew out the window. Edward's skin didn't turn a charred black, and he didn't burst into flames in front of me. Instead, his skin became even more dazzling than before. Light reflected in thousands of directions off of his sun-drenched arm. Millions of diamonds couldn't have created the amazing effects in front of my startled eyes. I looked up at his face, his eyes contained the sadness of one who was expecting a certain reaction.

I looked back to his outstretched hand and reached up to touch my fingertips to the back of it. His skin felt as smooth as ever, my own hand looking insignificant next to his. "You're beautiful." I whispered. Edward startled me by snapping his hand back from and moving back into the shadows. "Do you realize what you just said?" His voice sounded emotional…and angry.

"You just called a monster _beautiful_. I am a vampire, Bella! I have killed people!" I jumped to my feet as his voice became louder. Ignoring the warning in his eyes, I boldly stepped up to him, taking his hand again. Even though I knew he was strong enough to stop me, he allowed me to move his hand up until it was placed palm-down at the base of my throat. His jaw clenched and my pulse raced under his fingertips.

"I'm not afraid…I trust you."

He shook his head and gave a humorless laugh. "It's not fair." He moved his hand from my throat to rest against my face, near my temple. "The one person in this world I wish I could hear, and you're silent."

"I am saying what I am thinking."

He closed his amber eyes for a moment, "That's what I am afraid of."

"Edward," I whispered to him and waited for him to open his eyes. "I don't care what you are. I want to be with you…I have wanted that long before I knew who you were. I think I wanted it from the moment I saw you across the campfire that night."

My face heated under his scrutiny and I couldn't make myself take those words back. I hadn't realized I was going to pour my heart out until it was already done. Edward had exposed the most vital part of him to me, and I felt it was only right to do the same.

He tried to shock me again. "Do you know why we don't eat?"

I fought hard not to look away from him nervously. "I get the idea."

"And you aren't afraid?" He stepped closer to me. His blank face became intense and his lips parted slightly…his eyes half-closed.

"Aren't you worried about what I could do to you?" His face inched closer to mine, his cheek brushing against the side of my face. "You have seen how strong I am, how fast I am." His whispered tickled over my ear and then lower and he moved towards my neck. I automatically tilted my head, giving him unlimited access. "You have seen the things that draw my prey to me…and yet you still want me?"

My breath rattled in my chest roughly, and my voice was barely audible. "More than anything."

I didn't even flinch as his mouth settled over my pulse, his lips cool and smooth against my burning skin. I felt him breathe in deeply through his nose and then mutter something in a language I had never heard before.

When he pulled back and looked into my dazed face, I was relieved to see a hint of a smile back on his lips. I managed to ask him what he said.

"Moje prekrasno je pjesma sirena…my lovely siren's song."

He kept his smile, but his eyes still held a trace of sadness.

My brow furrowed in question and I ached to reach out to him, but he pulled back slightly. "My family and I, we aren't like others of our kind. We crave human blood, but we vowed to not drink from them. We hunt animals instead."

That explains why they were in the forest so much.

"So, you are kind of like…. vegetarians?" Edward threw his head back in laughter, and I rejoiced in the sound. "I like that! Vegetarians…you will have to tell Emmett about that."

I hated to go to an uncomfortable topic, but I had many more questions that needed to be answered. "When you say you crave human blood…do you crave mine too?"

Edward's smile faded, but the stone mask did not come back. He looked more resigned than anything. "More than you can imagine, more than any other human I have ever encountered. You don't know how many ways I imagined taking your life from you."

I couldn't help but be afraid, it was instinct. He seemed to sense my emotional change. "Almost a normal reaction."

"That's why you said you shouldn't be around me?"

He turned away from me then, and I let him get to a comfortable distance. "Your life is in danger every moment you are with me. The closer I am to you the more I want you. It's multiplied exponentially if I touch you.

I flashed back to the memory of him flinching away from my injured hand. "When you said you were afraid of blood…"

"I was afraid of what I would do to you when I smelled your blood."

I had moved slowly across the campsite so that I was standing in front of him again, not giving him the chance to shy away from me.

"How did you manage to carry me out of the forest, if my blood was that tempting?"

He smirked at me. "I am apparently a lot stronger than I thought I was. Plus, I held my breath pretty much the whole time. I wanted to help you out of that forest that morning, but the sun was out and I wasn't expecting you to take it this well."

"Thank you." I made sure my expression matched my words. "You saved my life, more than once."

"I hoped that its makes up for the way I acted around you at the beginning."

I waved off his concern, "Water under the bridge."

Edward looked like he was thinking about saying something else when Emmett came crashing back through the brush. He looked at our close proximity. "So, how'd she take it?"

Edward looked back to me and tried to look angry, but his mouth twitched as he fought a smile, "A little too well."

I smiled at Edward, and then grinned at Emmett. "So, you don't want to kill me too, do you?" Emmett laughed but Edward's grumble came from beside me, "Not funny."

Emmett quieted down but walked up to me and threw an arm over my shoulders. "Naw, that's just Eddie. Don't get me wrong, you smell fantastic…but he is the only one that you affect in that way." I peeked under Emmett's arm to look at Edward's serious face, and I knew Emmett wasn't joking. It felt a little weird to have someone comment on how they appreciate the way I smell.

"So now that you know all about us, we can continue our lesson. It's a good thing you asked me to teach you Bells, you picked the best vampire."

I raised my eyebrow at him, "What makes you the best vampire? Edward can read minds…what can you do?"

Edward's laugh came from behind me and I felt my lips turn up in response. Emmett held his hand over his heart in mock hurt, "Ouch! I'll have you know that I can kick Edward's butt, mind tricks or not!"

Edward tossed Emmett's arm off of me. "I have to give it to him, he is physically the strongest out of all of us. He will have to tell you the story about how we found him."

That reminded me of the other questions I was going to ask Edward. "The rest of your family, do they all have special…abilities?"

Edward helped me load on my pack and we followed Emmett off the trail into the thick forest. I watched both of them in fascination as they stepped in and out of light patches, their skin sparkling brilliantly. Edward explained to me the differences in his family members and what talents they had. He talked of Carlisle's compassion, Alice's visions, Jaspers emotional influences and Esme's love. "What about Rosalie?" I asked.

Emmett turned his head to talk back to us, "Rosalie is hot."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes I can see that. What is her special ability?"

"That's just it." Edward said. "She is very attractive to all humans. It's another…lure, for lack of a better term."

"Oh." That made sense, but it also made me feel a little uneasy to think of this seemingly loving group of people as killers.

Emmett stopped in front of a fallen log and behind it was a large bush with bright berries on it. I looked at him with question when he pulled a small book out of his back pocket. "You have a plant guide? I thought you were the master of survival?"

Emmett gave me a smirk. "I haven't eaten berries in over seventy years squirt, you really want me to guess at what you can eat out here?"

Good point. I gestured for him to continue.

"Okay, these are a match for the Mullberry. They are apparently a popular berry to snack on." I looked at the mixture of red and black colored clusters. "They look like blackberries," I observed.

Emmett flipped through his book and apparently found the listing for blackberries. "Ah hah! So they do."

We walked another short distance to another bush decked with small red berries. Emmett consulted his manual. "These are Holly berries. Stay away from these, they are poisonous." I filed that away under the important section of my memory. After several more stops at different bushes and plants I came to the conclusion that I just needed to get one of those handy books that Emmett had.

Eventually, Emmet stowed the book away and turned to me with a mischievous grin on his face. "You ready for the fun stuff?" I put a false sweetness in my voice, "Aren't we already having fun?" Edward chuckled along with me.

Emmett lifted up a rotten log and I jumped back as many tiny little creatures scurried out from under it. Emmett laughed and gestured for me to come closer. I looked to Edward and he just shrugged, unsure of where Emmett was heading…or at least not wanting to tell me. I gingerly stepped over to Emmett's kneeling form and he pointed to a small, fat white worm. "These guys are a great source of protein, and you can eat them as is." He looked at me with his eyebrows raised. I caught on to what he wanted, "Oh, hell no! I am not sure I could eat one of those if I was actually starving! I am not eating one just to amuse you!" Emmett just shook his head in disappointment and pointed to a few other "appetizing" creatures crawling in the dirt. Edward crouched down and poked at the fat little worm, and I felt a little nauseous as it wriggled under his touch. "How do you know all this stuff?" He asked his brother. Emmett grinned at him and winked, "I watched a Survivor Man marathon the other night."

I groaned and rolled my eyes. I needed to research this stuff some more and not leave my eating habits up to a TV show.

I felt the cool wind change directions and rustle the leaves around me. Suddenly, Emmett and Edward's heads both snapped up and they became tense. Emmett dropped the log and stood faster than I could blink. Their heads snapped to look at the trees to my right, but before I could ask them what was going on the sound of something moving through the bushes carried over to me. A large black bear ran out of the bushes and growled angrily. It stopped in its tracks to roar at us some more and I realized that I was close to it…way too close.

I glance at Edward and saw that his eyes seemed to have darkened since I last looked at them and Emmett had a low, menacing smile on his face. Edward seemed to know what his brother was about to do, "Emmett, not now!"

Emmett ignored him, lowered into a crouch and then launched himself at the angry bear. I covered my mouth with my gloved hand to hold back a scream. Edward looked like he was going to spring at the bear as well, but then stopped. I couldn't see his expression, I was too busy watching Emmett wrestle with the large bear. My eyes widened as he bared his teeth, and when he sunk his teeth into the bear's neck I let out that scream I had been holding back. Edward reached for me and tossed me onto his back. I buried my face against his shoulder as we sped through the forest, but I couldn't block out the images of Emmett's gleeful face covered in blood.

Several minutes later, Edward came to a stop. It was still strange to me that he ran all that way and was barely even breathing, but my gasps were becoming faster and faster. I felt like my limbs would snap from the tense pressure of locking myself onto Edward. "Bella?" His voice was gentle with concern. I couldn't answer him, I could hardly breathe anymore. "Can you get down? Its okay, we're nowhere near that area anymore." I just kept clinging to him, my face remaining buried and my eyes squeezed shut. Edward gently pried my arms from around his neck and spun me around until I was cradled in his arms. He unhooked my pack and let it fall, and only then did I open my eyes. His brows were pulled over his now-amber eyes in concern for me, but I also saw a tenseness that wasn't there before. "Breathe deep, Bella." He sat on the ground with my shaking form clutched in his lap. He hummed a sweet melody in my ear, his voice vibrating through my body. Soon I began to breathe more normal, and my shaking had subsided. Finally, my muscles relaxed and I went limp. Edward pulled back and looked at me, probably thinking I had fainted. He reached up and smoothed my hair off my forehead, and I dimly realized that sometime along the way here I had lost my knit cap. I gave him a wobbly smile, trying to reassure him. He just pursed his lips.

"I'm sorry you saw that. Emmett has a …sweet tooth."

"For b-bears?" I stammered, my voice sounding weak even to my ears.

Edward gave me a smirk. "This is the first normal reaction I have seen from you yet."

I knew what he was silently asking me, "I'm not going anywhere. I was just… surprised. I didn't really think about how you said you hunted bears earlier. I pictured something a little more…tame."

Edward sighed, "It usually is small deer or something like that, but carnivores are more appetizing."

I nodded like it made perfect sense to me.

With his help I managed to sit up and he handed me my canteen. Edward cocked his head to the side and I thought he had heard something else coming in the woods. "Emmett?" I asked.

He shook his head, "Emmett went back to the Jeep, he feels bad for scaring you."

"We should go too, I need to talk to him and let him know its okay."

Edward's voice turned to a growl, "It's not okay. He shouldn't have done that in front of you. You were never meant to see something like that." He ran one hand through his hair in frustration. "You don't realize how dangerous that was, Bella. When we feed, we lose all control. We could easily turn on you when we are in that frame of mind."

I laid a hand along the side of his face, and he looked like he relished the contact as much as I did. The tense lines on his face evened out.

"Hey, that bear was pretty close. In a way, he sort of saved me from getting mauled."

Edward shook his head, "I would never let any harm come to you if I could help it."

I smiled, knowing he meant every word. My legs were wobbly as I tried to stand, and I hadn't even strapped my pack on yet. Edward watched me for a moment.

"You are exhausted. I am carrying you out of here."

"No! I should finish the hike…conditioning myself, right?" He looked at me with doubt, but helped me put the pack on my back. When I took my first step my knee buckled and Edward reached out to catch me. "That's it, give me the pack." He didn't wait for me but unbuckled the straps, dumped out the rocks and then re-strapped it to his own body. A huge part of me cheered inside when he lifted me back into his embrace…I may have moaned in relief.

Edward's chuckle told me he heard that.

He told me to shut my eyes and we sped off once again. We reached the trailhead within a few minutes and I looked to see Emmett leaning against the Jeep with his muscular arms crossed over his chest. He pushed himself upright and tucked his hands into his pockets and I noticed he had changed his shirt. For once, there was no smile or grin on his face, and I sadly missed seeing it.

At my insistence Edward set me down and I stumbled over to Emmett, not hesitating as I wrapped my arms around him in a big hug. I knew my squeeze was no where near as strong as the ones he gave me, but after a second I felt him gently return it.

"I am so sorry, squirt," he muttered in my hair. I shook my head against his chest. "Nothing to be sorry for. Besides," I pulled my head back to grin up at him, "I get that way sometimes when I see a warm cinnamon bun."

After blinking at me for a second Emmett threw his head back and let out a roar of laughter. He released me just to ruffle my hair a bit. "You silly humans with your odd eating habits," he teased. I lightly punched him on the arm, and then shook my hand out a little at the sting. "Look whose talking!"

Emmett looked passed me to Edward, who was watching our interaction silently. He looked at Emmett for a moment, anger still evident in his expression, but when he turned to me his gaze softened and he looked almost proud.

Emmett held out his hand and Edward hesitated only a moment before clasping it in his own. "Hey man, I'm sorry for losing control like that." Edward smirked at him. "Just don't let it happen again." Then they did some sort of weird man-hug and all was right again. Edward threw my bag into the back of my truck while Emmett fired up the Jeep and fiddled with the radio stations. He opened the driver's door and I climbed in. Before he shut it, he leaned in towards me, a small hopeful smile on his face. "Can I see you tonight?" I felt heat rising to my face as I thought of Edward in my room again. My throat seized up so I just nodded mutely. His smile got wider and he picked up one of my hands resting on the steering wheel. He removed my glove and was still smiling as he pressed his lips to my knuckles. I still felt the current pop between our touching skin, but held my hand steady until he released it. It took me another moment to calm myself enough to start my ancient truck.

I waved back at them as they flashed their lights behind me, signaling that they were turning off. I grinned to myself the whole way home.

**Well….its been revealed! What do you think? Let's see if we can't get some more reviews up in this story!**

**Oh, and don't quote me on the facts of this chapter because a lot of it was just half-assed research done online. The saying Edward spoke was in Croatian…randomly picked and translate online lol.**

**His reveal wasn't too cheesy was it?**

**I have some things planned for the upcoming chapters, but this may change. I will have the weekend hiking trip, throw in some bad-guys, have a smooch or two in there and more fluffy stuff than you can shake a stick at!**


	13. Twilight movie again

**Hey guys,**

**Sorry no new chapter yet, but its comin'!**

**I just wanted to throw this out there for anyone who hasn't heard yet, a couple of places online are petitioning to get everyone to go see Twilight again tomorrow, Dec 12****th**** (for us U.S. folks) which was the original release date. This is to give another bump to Twilight sales and put them back up at number one…and also who doesn't want to see Twilight again? : P**

**I will be heading to see it by myself again tomorrow afternoon. I want to bring my hubby but he hasn't read the book and I am afraid he will ruin it for me by asking a ton of questions or making silly comments. Let me know if you go see the movie too!**

**Also, does anyone know of a chat forum for fanfiction? I would like to talk with other people about what the better stories out there are, because I have been filtering through some major crap lately.**

**-Jodi**


	14. Chapter 12

**Sooooooo I saw Twilight for the third time today…that means sales are up $7 since 1:15 pm : ) lol**

**This was my favorite showing so far, because I was alone again and I sat up front so all I could see was TWILIGHT blaring into my retinas and I have seen it enough that I wasn't over analyzing it and could actually enjoy the story!**

**Still not sold on taking hubby yet…and the sad thing is every time I see Twilight I get mad at him. Lol I am mad because he isn't like Edward. I think he hates Twilight :P **

"_**Twilight: Ruining previously stable relationships since 2005."**_

**Oh and I read that they are thinking about recasting Jacob Black…but Lautner's people are trying to work with special effects to make him look bigger and buffer…now I am not a huge Taylor Lautner fan but I HHHHAAAAAATTTEEE it when people mess around with characters in a movie series! I am already attached to the idea of him being Jacob! I am attached to all the characters (except Eric…he is annoying). Anyone else agree?**

**Disclaimer: No matter who directs the next movie they are still owned by Stephanie Meyer.**

Chapter 12

Edward came to my room again that night, and even though I was expecting it I still jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Doing more vampire research?"

I turned from my computer and gave him a smile. "Why? Is there anything else I need to know?"

Something flashed across his face for a second, then his gorgeous half-smile was back in place. "Not at the moment."

I let that one slide.

I got up from the desk chair and moved to my bed and he joined me without prompting. I was thankful for my forethought to change into a t-shirt and pajama pants before he came over. At first, we sat in silence with our backs pressed against the headboard, glancing at each other through the sides of our eyes. Edward finally broke the silence and turned to me on the bed. "So, I have told you that I am a supernatural being of the night that craves human blood and has devised several different ways of killing you…"

"Don't forget the sparkle thing," I interrupted.

He shook his head and let out a huff of laughter, "…and I sparkle in the sunlight, but yet you still let me into your room…onto your bed?"

I was getting slightly dazzled while watching him talk. I wasn't sure if that was a rhetorical question or not.

"So you are wondering why I haven't screamed for Charlie yet?"

"It would be the normal human thing to do, yes."

I shrugged. "I decided a long time ago that no matter what you were, I would find a way to be as close to you as you would let me."

I loved it when his face gazed into mine with such intensity, but it was so hard to read him. His eyes practically glowed tonight and the dark circles beneath them were gone. I reached up and traced a finger underneath one eye. "Do your eyes change according to what you are feeling?"

He closed his eyes and didn't answer me until I moved my hand away. He sighed and his glowing eyes opened, a smirk tilting up his lips. "When my family feeds, our eyes become brighter. You remember the first time you saw me"

"Your eyes were almost black."

It was his turn to touch me. He watched his hand as it tangled into my dark hair falling around my shoulders and talked almost absently. "I was hunting that day, and even though I drank…the moment I caught your scent my hunger was instantaneous, unbearable."

I watched his features furrow as he recounted his feelings. "You don't know how hard it was to keep my distance. I hunted all that evening until I thought I was going to burst, and yet I still couldn't be anywhere close to you."

"How did you manage not to…hurt me when I passed out?"

He looked back at my eyes then, and I finally saw a genuine smile on his face, the kind that lit up his eyes. "There was another hunger, one that was almost as strong as my hunger to feed from you." He moved both hands to my face then, cupping my cheeks ever-so gently and his thumbs rubbed back and forth over my skin…sending heat across my face and chills down my spine.

"Desire. I have never been so utterly attracted to any being in my entire existence. Even after spending days in the forest, you were the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. The thought of causing you any harm, to take you out of my world, made me resist the hunger."

I licked my lips involuntarily. He was so close that I could feel his intoxicating, cool breath on my face. I knew that we were going to kiss…it was inevitable. It was like gravity, like the sunrise…it was going to happen.

His eyes became hooded and his face became a mixture of desire and determination. He inched closer to me and I thought that my eyes should want to close now, but I couldn't deny myself of the beautiful view of his face for even a second. He stopped with our lips just a fraction apart, making my want to moan in anticipation and my slightly parted lips tingle. "Don't move….keep very still," his whisper warned me. It was like he spoke through a thick cloud, and I realized that cloud was in my mind.

When his lips touched mine the shockwave went from my lips out through my whole body and I heard myself whimper quietly. He pulled back briefly to search my face, and smiled at the longing he saw. This time we both closed our eyes and deepened the kiss, my mouth angling opposite of his. I felt myself go lightheaded from lack of air, but I wasn't about to let a little thing like that keep me from enjoying the greatest moment of my life.

Our hands moved at the same time, mine finally submerging into his untamable bronze hair, his grasping my shoulders and pulling me closer. When I felt the tip of his tongue touch my bottom lip I moaned into his mouth.

Suddenly he was across the room and I was catching myself from falling off the bed. Though he didn't need to breathe, he was gasping almost as hard as I was. I brought trembling fingers to my lips, subconsciously trying to hold the sensation of his kiss to me as long as possible. Edward's eyes burned over my body, his expression evaluating. Whatever he was thinking about, he came to a decision…a satisfied smile creeping up on his lips. "That was….so much better than I thought it would be."

I frowned, "Thanks…I think." I wasn't entirely sure that he was giving me a compliment. Immediately, he came back to sit next to me, skimming his fingers over my flushed cheek. "I'm sorry, I should clarify. That kiss was…indescribable. I am convinced it was the reason why I was born. I have waited over one hundred years for that kiss." My eyes glazed over again and I felt my stomach clench under his words. I have never imagined a kiss being described like that, but it almost described how I felt.

"What I hadn't counted on was how long I was able to control myself. I didn't want to get my hopes up. I thought all afternoon on why it was too risky for you to even try, but when I saw you tonight…" He paused to press his forehead against mine, and I closed my eyes to soak up the sensation of our skin touching. "I knew I had to at least try. I could think of nothing else. But Bella, we have to be careful. I can _never_ lose control around you. I could so easily hurt you and not even mean to."

I swallowed my suddenly dry throat. "But….we, we can try again….right?" My voice was barely audible to my own ears, but I knew he would hear it clearly. I felt his smile, "I am counting on it."

When he pulled back I sighed and then accidentally let a yawn slip out. He glanced at my bedside clock. "It's late. You should get some rest."

I placed my hand on his arm as he started to rise from the bed. "Stay with me…please?"

I saw a brief moment of hesitation cross his face, then he relaxed and switched off my bedside lamp while I scooted over to make room for him. He remained on top of the covers while I burrowed underneath them, which was okay for now since I was a little cold and he could do little to warm me.

I curled up on my side facing away from him, giving him the option of how close he wanted to lay next to me. After a moment I thought that he was going to stay on the far side of the bed, then I felt a cool arm snake around my waist. He pulled my back up against his hard chest and I felt him bury his face in my hair, breathing deeply.

I laid my hand on his encircling arm and smiled as my eyes drooped lower, more comfortable now than I had been in a long time. "Goodnight, Edward."

His head shifted as he moved his lips next to my ear, "Sleep well, Bella." His voice turned from a whisper to the soft, calming melody I recognized from earlier. I kept smiling until I fell into a world of the most wonderful dreams.

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The next morning came around under the best circumstances. I was lying with my head smothered into Edward's chest as he was lying on his back. My legs were tangled around his through the covers. His fingers were making lazy trails up and down my bare arm and I shivered under his cool touch. He stopped long enough to pull the covers higher around me, then began running his fingers through my hair. I craned my head back to smile up at him sleepily. The morning light was dim, which is no indication of time in a perpetually overcast area. He looked just the same as he did when I fell asleep, unlike me…with a severe case of bed-head and probably sleep lines on the cheek that was lying against his shirt.

He slowly smiled at me, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." I turned my face back into his chest and wrapped my arms around him a little tighter. "You didn't. I am just surprised you are still here."

His fingers kept their ministrations in my hair and I fought hard not to fall back asleep. "You asked me to stay and Charlie left a few hours ago so I didn't have to dash out again."

"I'm sorry, you really didn't have to stay. You must have been bored to death," I mumbled. He stopped playing with my hair and wrapped his arms around me. "I enjoyed every second of it. I like watching you sleep."

"I didn't snore did I?"

He chuckled, "No, but there was some talking."

I groaned and tried to bury deeper into his embrace. "Did I say anything embarrassing?"

After he didn't answer me, I took a chance and glance back up at his face. He had a look of pure contentment on his face. "You said my name….a lot."

I went to hide my burning face from him, but he reached up to placed a gentle finger under my chin to prevent me from doing so. "Don't be embarrassed. I can't dream anymore, Bella. By watching you sleep…it's the closest thing I can get to dreaming about you, so I mean it when I say I enjoyed every second."

I itched to crash my lips onto his, but fear of making him jump away from my boldness and morning breath I turned my kiss to his smooth cheek. I reluctantly pulled out of his arms and told him I needed a moment.

I stared at myself in the bathroom, looking for something different about myself. I felt different. I felt like there should be some change in my appearance after realizing I was completely in love with a vampire.

The only thing I saw was a large, goofy grin on my face.

I quickly showered, groaning as the hot water beat down on my sore shoulders. After a few more necessities, especially brushing my teeth, I skipped back into my bedroom. I felt a surge of disappointment at seeing the room sans-Edward. A noise from the kitchen had me quickly moving down the stairs, and missing the last step. Before I could make a crash landing that I was way too familiar with, Edward caught me. I looked past his laughter at my clumsiness and stared at him, ecstatic he was still here. He _had_ left at some point to change clothes, but I was no longer surprised he could get to his house and back before I was done with my bathroom business.

He set me back on my feet, "Sorry, I was going to cook breakfast for you but you were a lot faster than I thought you would be."

"That's really nice of you, but a bowl of cereal is good for now."

He watched as I poured the flakes and added milk, watching me with a mildly incredulous look. I smirked at him, "You talk about eating bugs in the woods and it seems okay, but cereal grosses you out?"

He smiled and shrugged, "You faint when you see my food."

He had me there.

After breakfast we stood in the kitchen, looking around. "So….." I started. "What do you want to do today?"

He started to answer, but then glanced towards the front door. "Well unless your plans consist of letting Charlie know I am here, I better leave."

My eyes widened a little, "He's here?"

"Not yet," Edward tapped his temple, "but I can hear that he is close." His eyebrows furrowed and his red lips turned down. "He is worried about something that happened outside of town. He is not in a great mood."

I winced, "That's a deal-breaker, you definitely have to leave." I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the back door and he allowed me to do so. I opened the door and then turned to him, "Can you come back?" I tried to keep the eagerness out of my voice, but I am sure my expression gave me away."

Edward gave me a crooked smile and I felt my toes curl. He cupped the back of my head and placed a kiss on my forehead. "As soon as Charlie is asleep," he promised.

His hand dropped and when I opened my eyes he was gone. I looked out into the forest surrounding the backyard and saw no trace of where he went.

The front door opened as I was closing the back door. Charlie looked at me standing in my pajamas near the door and frowned. "Were you outside, Bella?"

I tried to keep the guilty flush off my face, "I just peeked out to see what the day was like." Charlie hung up his jacket and gun belt before joining me in the kitchen.

"Do me a favor Bells, stay inside as much as you can and don't go anywhere near the woods by yourself."

"What's going on Dad?"

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his dark hair, "A guy disappeared while doing some nature photography right outside town. There was evidence of him being attacked…we think by an animal. We are pretty sure he is dead."

I immediately thought of the bear encounter in the woods yesterday. "When did this happen?"

"We think sometime late last night, but no earlier than yesterday afternoon. So will just listen to your old man for once?" He smiled at me to try to lighten the atmosphere. I forced myself to smile back at him and nod. Emmett killed the bear yesterday morning, so that couldn't have been what attacked the man. That means that something else was running loose around Forks. I turned my head to look through the kitchen window at the dark trees gently swaying in the light wind, and a thrill of fear crept over me.

**Okay it's a little shorter than usual but I am brain dead right now. I wanted to give you a lil' something though, so you have to tell me…should I hold off posting until I have a nice long chapter to give you or should I post what I got when I got it?**

**You know what to do to keep me going.**

**And hats off to Loulabelle in Australia for seeing Twilight FINALLY! *sniffs* I am so proud! Wish I could have been there with you girl, cause you KNOW it would have been CRAZY with both of us there! :P**


	15. Chapter 13

**Man, I appreciate the reviews, but I haven't got very many at all for the past few chapters. Hmmmm…story no good anymore?**

Chapter 13

I paced the area in front of my window, waiting for Edward. Charlie had gone to bed a while ago, his snores barely audible through the closed door. I tried not to be doubtful of Edward's promise to come back tonight, but I couldn't help but grow more anxious with each passing minute. When I was doing homework after dinner my gaze kept shifting out the window to the gently swaying trees. I was wondering if my bronze haired angel was among the trees, waiting in the shadows. I did my best to keep my thoughts away from other possible, more menacing creatures lurking in the growing darkness.

A light tapping on the window made me jump and hold my breath. Edward's pale face peered at me through the glass, a small smile on his perfect face. I let out my pent up breath and dashed to open the window. He lithely jumped to my carpeted floor, not making a sound. His smile widened and he lightly grasped me by the shoulders. I could feel the cool touch of his fingers through my thin t-shirt. I stayed as still as possible as he leaned in and kissed me briefly on the cheek, reveling in each new affection he bestowed on me. Grasping one his hands, I walked us to my bed.

We sat in our usual position against the headboard; our heads turned and eyes looking over each other. I felt like my muscles relaxed for the first time since he left earlier today. Regretfully, I felt myself already becoming sleepy.

I tried to keep awake, tried to keep conversation. "Edward, were you outside my house today?"

"For a little while, then I went to hunt before I came back to you tonight, why?"

I shrugged lightly, "No reason. You heard about the guy getting killed in the forest yesterday?" Edward's smile faded. "Yes Carlisle told me about that. I had hoped your father wouldn't mention it."

I was confused by his statement. "Why?"

He ran a finger along the side of my face and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, giving me a gentle look. "I knew it would worry you. I don't want you to be afraid."

He sighed and then looked at me cautiously. "Since we are on the subject, I think it would be best if we postponed the overnight hiking trip."

I immediately sat up straighter, "What? No! Why should we do that?"

He grimaced, anticipating my reaction. "There is obviously something in the forest that's dangerous, possibly more dangerous than me. I just think we should wait until this all blows over."

I knew what he said made sense, but I also wasn't about to let some random animal attack throw away all the hard work I had put in. "Look, can't we just go to another area? I mean, there is a lot of forest we can explore, right?"

Edward's lips were tight, his eyes filled with determination. He was set on keeping me close to home. "Bella, I told you I wouldn't allow any harm to come to you. I would really appreciate it if you didn't make my job any harder than it already is."

I opened my mouth to protest, but I experienced the full force of his amber eyes, dazzling me. All my arguments came out in one jumbled groan. Edward looked startled for a second, then laughed quietly. I flushed a brilliant shade of red. "Stupid vampire mind tricks," I mumbled under my breath. Edward of course heard me, "I promise I will take you, just not this weekend."

"Next weekend?" I asked hopefully. He smiled at me, "Let's plan on it, but I want to make sure the threat has moved on before I get you alone in the forest again. Until then, please don't go anywhere alone."

I scoffed and shook my head at him. "Now you sound just like Charlie."

"He is right to want to keep you safe."

I tilted my head and looked at him thoughtfully. He was holding something back. I don't know how I knew that, but I just sensed he was being less than forthcoming with me. "What are you keeping from me? Is there something more about this animal attack?"

Edward smiled again, but it didn't meet his eyes. "Bella, you seem to be a magnet for trouble, so is it so wrong of me to want to avoid any extra danger where you are concerned?"

I narrowed my eyes at him in disapproval.

He gave in. "You are entirely too perceptive for your own good."

"Please, tell me what is going on," I pleaded.

He looked away from me momentarily, no doubt deciding how much he should tell me. When he looked back into my eyes, I could feel the truthfulness and intensity in his expression and I relaxed slightly, knowing he would be honest with me.

"You know how I said my family was different from others of our kind?"

I nodded. He ran a hand through his hair, the lamp light making his normally pale skin have a slight golden glow.

"Our diets allow us to stay in one place for a lot longer than normal. Most of our kind has to keep moving to stay undetected by humans. Occasionally we will have a visitor in the area and we have to try to discourage them from staying too long. While they are no real danger to us directly, they endanger the way of life we have created. Not many understand why we stay in permanent residence. Sometimes there are…casualties before we can stop them."

"So, a vampire killed that hiker? A visitor?"

Edward nodded carefully, "We are almost certain. The scent of a vampire is unique, and it's too much of a coincidence for the attack to have occurred where we picked up the visitor's trail."

I leaned my head back on the headboard. The thought was almost impossible to wrap my mind around. Before this weekend I had a clear image of what a vampire should be like, and Edward and his family broke that mold. There has been little time for me to adjust to the idea of "vegetarian" vampires, but it seemed even more farfetched for me to accept the fact that there was another of their kind out there, killing people….drinking their blood.

Maybe I was losing my perspective on life. There were vampires who were supposed to be "bad guys" but they were really not so bad…the "good guys" in my mind. But now I find out that there are "_bad_ bad guys" who were basically the same as the "good guys" but without the self-control.

I glanced guiltily out of the corner of my eye to the creature that held my heart, and tried not to let the fear show on my face.

Edward folded his arms across his chest and gave a wry smile, looking at his feet. "Its okay, you should be afraid."

I reached over and placed my hand on the side of his face. He allowed me to turn him to face me. My nose came within a heartbeat of his and I poured my honesty and sincerity into him. "I wish just for a moment you could hear what I am thinking. I am not afraid of _you_ Edward Cullen." My hands moved to the back of his head, my fingers tangling into his hair. "I am afraid of what is out there, but I know that's not what you are. You are _good_."

His voice sounded strained when he answered me. "You can't know that."

I smiled sadly at him. "Edward, how do you feel about me?"

He blinked in confusion. "Bella, what are you..."

"Don't think, just answer me."

He didn't hesitate. "You are my life."

I was taken aback. I had set out to prove a point to him, but could no longer form a sentence. My heart picked up its pace and my stomach clenched in reaction. All thought of talking had been tossed aside. I leaned forward the last little bit between us and pressed my lips against his. His cold lips melted under my assault for a moment, then he pulled back. I breathed out a quiet apology for my boldness, but I didn't mean it.

He reached behind his head and removed my fingers from his hair and bringing them to his lips. His eyes never left mine.

"Does knowing how much I care for you, how much I need you, make me any less of a monster?"

I licked my lips, tasting him on my tongue. "Yes. I could never love a monster…and you are certainly no monster."

He took a deep breath in and I could see a spark of happiness in his eyes, waiting to be released. I knew I was winning.

"Bella, how can you say that? How are you able to feel such things towards me?"

It was my turn to bring his cold fingers to my lips. I rubbed his knuckles gently across my mouth before answering. "I can say that I love you because that is the closet thing I could say to express how I feel about you. Love is such an inadequate word."

Edward's eyes closed and he tilted his head back slightly, drinking in my words. "I know."

When he met my gaze, the happiness was there again. A smile spread across his face and this time his eyes matched it. He chuckled at me, "This is insane!"

I laughed with him. "Absolutely crazy, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

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We spent the rest of the night in each other's arms. Edward curled his body against mine, protecting me even as I slept. I had nodded off not long after we declared our feelings for each other, the elation kept a smile on my face and Edward's soothing voice hummed in my ear relaxed me into a dreamless slumber.

When my alarm clock buzzed I groaned and slapped at it, trying to get it to be quiet one way or another. A cold hand reached past mine and hit the snooze button for me. Edward's quiet chuckle filtered through my sleep induced haze. I rolled over and smile at him. He was leaning up on one elbow looking at me. His free hand moved to my hair, and I groaned at the thought of what a disaster I must look like. He moved his hand from my hair to my cheek, which heated under his touch. "You are so beautiful," he murmured.

I watched as his lips parted and moved towards mine, my mind already trapped back into a fog. He stopped just as his lips touched mine, then groaned and pulled back. "Your father is awake."

I automatically turned to look at the closed bedroom door, almost expecting Charlie to be standing there with a gun. Edward chuckled again. "He is just now getting out of bed. That's my cue to leave."

I moved with him to the window and when he hopped onto the ledge he turned back to me, "I will be back as soon as he leaves to pick you up for school." He touched my cheek one more time before disappearing.

The thought of Edward's quick return overshadowed the depressing feeling of loss as I shut the window and began my day. I tried not to grin while eating cereal, just in case Charlie was observant enough to take notice in my mood today.

No more than ten seconds passed between Charlie's exit from the driveway and Edward's appearance in the front doorway. I grinned and ran up to him, but paused…still unsure if he was comfortable having me throw myself at him. I looked at his face and saw that his eyes seemed a little brighter this morning and there was even a healthy flush to his cheeks. He saw my indecision and moved forward to pull me tightly up against him, burying his face into the hair against my shoulder. "Don't worry, you won't hurt me."

I pulled back to smile at him, "I just don't want to be too forward, or make you feel uncomfortable If I am too close…"

He cut of my sentence with a kiss, swift and devastating.

"Bella, you overpower me every time I see you. I am too weak to resist you, even if it's for your own good."

That pleased me… a lot. Now that we had confessed our feelings for each other it was like a gate had opened, and we felt free to express those feelings the best we knew how.

I grabbed my bag and Edward opened the passenger door for me. The weather was perfect today, cloudy with no hint of sun in sight. I almost laughed out loud when I realized that overcast days had a whole new meaning for me…no more reverence of the sun for this girl!

The drive to school went by quickly and before I knew it we were there. I saw Jessica and Angela through the windshield, both of their faces wide open with curiosity.

I bit my lip and looked at Edward, who had started to get out of the car until he saw my expression. "What is it?" He had a smile on his face, but his voice held nothing but concern.

I gestured to our audience, "They are going to grill me, you know."

He didn't need to look to know who I was talking about. "Probably." He cocked his head to the side, listening. "Most definitely."

"So, what do I say?"

He smile at me, "What do you want to tell them?"

I wanted to stand on top of his shiny silver Volvo and scream out my feelings for Edward to the entire world.

He tugged on my hair, "Why don't we give them an edited version."

His idea made more sense than mine. "I agree, and I know they won't be satisfied with a brush-off."

He jumped out of the car and appeared at my side, opening the door and holding my hand as I stepped out. He didn't release my hand as we walked through the parking lot and passed stunned students. "You can tell them that if they make you uncomfortable then they will have to answer to your overprotective blood-thirsty boyfriend."

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The stares were not so bad after a while. Anytime I started to get the least bit uncomfortable I would just look up at Edward who would be holding my hand or have his arm around my waist and his smile would put me at ease instantly.

There were a couple people who seemed happy about our new found closeness…Alice and Emmett. Emmett grinned from ear to ear when he saw me enter class. I am pretty sure he was smiling because I was _really_ smiling and it must have amused him. He reached out to stop me from walking past his seat. "Hey squirt, Alice said that the hiking trip is off for now, but it looks like next weekend is a go." I looked at him slightly startled, still not used to talking about future events so casually when I knew that they were being predicted by a psychic vampire. But the news that I would be still going soon had me very excited.

"Where will we be going for the overnight trip?" I asked.

Emmett gave me a sly look and shrugged. "You will have to ask Edward…or Alice…if he will let her tell you."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "You aren't coming?"

He laughed and shook his head. "Nope, three is definitely a crowd. The first night will be just you and lover-boy." I flushed in embarrassment while he continued. "We are supposed to join up with you guys on the last day but no one will tell me where he is taking you."

"Why not?"

Emmett looked sheepish then. "They said I have a big mouth and would blurt it out to you by accident."

I laughed lightly at him, "Are they right?"

Classic Emmett, he just smiled and shrugged, "Yeah, probably."

The bell rang and I took my seat next to Jessica. She sat there staring opening at me in evaluation. I squirmed as I felt her eyes burn into the side of my head all through the lecture. I am not sure she even blinked the whole time. When the period was finally over I moved to dash out of the room but got tangled up in my chair leg and hit the floor, knocking the wind out of me. Almost everyone turned to laugh except Emmett and Jessica. Emmett came over and hauled me to my feet with one hand, trying not to laugh. I muttered a thanks and he ruffled my hair and walked out. Jessica took that opportunity to grab my fallen bag and held it back from me. "You are _so_ going to spill."

I rubbed my sore elbow that banged against the ground during my spill and sighed. "Can we do this later? My class is across campus and I don't want to be late."

She regarded me carefully. "Give me the cliff notes real quick and you have a deal."

I refrained from rolling my eyes. "Cliff notes; Edward and I are…boyfriend and girlfriend….sort of." I felt stupid for even saying it…it seemed so much less than what we were but there was no way I was getting into that with Jessica Stanley.

She shook her head as if unable to comprehend it, not seeing how Bella Swan could possibly be dating Edward _fricken_ Cullen. I knew how she felt.

I held out my hand for my bag and she finally gave it back. I smiled briefly at her and left her standing in the now-empty classroom. When I got out into the hall Edward was, of course, there waiting to walk me to my next class. He looked at me questionably before taking my bag to carry it for me. Despite the fact I had just told Jessica I needed to hurry to make it to my next class, I felt no need to rush standing there with Edward. I heard Jessica come out of the classroom and pause for a moment looking at us. Edward never took his eyes off mine and she finally walked out of the building.

I glanced in the direction she left, "She got me."

He gave me a wry smile, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I gave her the bottom line…it was going to happen sooner or later." I shrugged.

He took my hand and pushed my sleeve up my arm gently, turning his head to look at my throbbing elbow. "I meant are you okay from your fall?"

I tried to angle myself to see the damage. "Is it bad?"

He shook his head and smiled gently, keeping his eyes on mine as he bent down and placed a slow, gentle kiss on my wounded flesh. I felt my knees shake unsteadily. "There is a bruise, but you should be fine."

I smirked at him, "Emmett told you?"

"He didn't have to."

I thought about for a second and then groaned. He probably heard it on every person's mind as they walked out of class. Great.

Edward chuckled at me and kept his hand in mine as we walked to my next class. "What am I going to do with you, Bella?" I flushed, never more grateful that he couldn't read my mind than at that moment.

At lunch I assumed we would be eating alone again. I became very anxious when Edward led me over to the table where the rest of Cullen's were. Alice and Emmett both smiled at me encouragingly, Jasper just looked at me with caution in his intense eyes and Rosalie glared…making it no secret how she felt.

Edward ignored all of them and held out a chair for me next to Alice. After sitting he took the last empty one next to mine. I looked over at the table I used to sit with Jessica, Angela and the others. Angela was the only one smiling...she honestly looked happy for me. The others just looked betrayed.

Alice leaned in towards me, "Don't pay attention to them. They just don't understand why you are the only person in Forks brave enough to sit with the elusive Cullen Family." Her voice tinkled with amusement and I couldn't help but give her a small smile in return. "That's not the only thing they are thinking," Edward said with a growl, staring menacingly at Mike Newton, who was staring at me. I grabbed Edward's clenched hand in mine and he seemed to relax almost instantly, turning to look at me with affection.

Rosalie scoffed at our display and folded her beautiful arms across her gifted chest. I looked down at my food and put the first thing I saw in my mouth to distract me, not really tasting it. After a few moments of quiet I looked up and saw that Edward's siblings were staring at me in both interest and mild distaste. I stopped eating immediately and swallowed thickly. Edward glared at them. "You are making her uncomfortable." They all turned their eyes away from me sheepishly and I burned bright red. This was top on my list for the most awkward lunch in history. Rosalie stood abruptly. "Well, we wouldn't want to make _her _uncomfortable now would we?"

Emmett reached for her hand but Rosalie just snapped it away from him. This time, Emmett walked after her when she stormed out of the cafeteria.

I was seeing a pattern with her, and it wasn't good. My emotions were on overload…my anxiety making my stomach clench and my heart rate increase. Suddenly, a wave of calmness spread over me. I felt my body start to relax from my scalp…spreading down to my toes. My eyelids felt heavy, as if I was suddenly in need of a nap. I shook my head lightly and suddenly realized what happened to me. I turned to look at Jasper, who was already looking at me. "You did that?" I asked quietly.

He gave me a small smile. I returned it with a grateful one of my own. "Thank you…I really needed that." Alice smiled at her man and then back at me, pleased at our interaction. Jasper's good looks were enough to turn heads, but combined with the first genuine smile I have seen on his face it was almost enough to take my breath away. I hoped that whatever made him so tense around me was fading.

Edward rubbed soothing circles on my hand with his thumb. "Eat Bella, lunch is almost over." This time no one watched me while I ate and the rest of the lunch period was almost perfect, except for the two empty seats at our table.

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The rest of the week passed by in similar fashion. Each day Edward would spend as much time as possible with me and I would bask in the happiness that washed over me every time I saw him. I tried to squash the nagging pessimistic feeling that came soon after he walked away. While I was alone, it was easy to count the differences between us…and despite what he has tried to warn me about himself I felt like my end came up short every time. The old saying "too good to be true" kept sneaking up in the back of my mind. But when I would dash out of the classroom and he would smile at me, all thoughts became null and void.

At night he came back to my window and I had gotten into the habit of leaving it open for him. We continued our routine of leaning against the headboard and talking for a while, but eventually desire took over us. I tried hard to let him be the one to initiate any physical contact, but more than once I was caught up in my feelings and was unable to control myself. We never moved beyond kissing, and the kisses were frustratingly tame. I knew he could feel my eagerness as much as I could feel his, but I kept my thoughts to myself knowing how hard it was for him to give me what he could.

I never slept better in my life than I did curled up in Edward's cold embrace. He always made sure I was bundled up enough before pulling me in close to him. The melody he hummed into my ear every night was almost as hauntingly beautiful as he was.

If Charlie noticed my good humor, then he was wise to keep it to himself. That was the great thing about my dad…he was like me. We didn't talk about feelings and uncomfortable stuff like that to each other unless we had to.

I awoke from my slumber to the soft, cool caresses of Edward's lips on my face. It felt like the most wonderful of dreams as he trailed kisses from my ear to my chin and back. I opened my eyes as he tucked my hair behind my ear. His face was dangerously close to mine and I had to reel in my desire to keep from grabbing his glorious hair and crashing my lips onto his. He smiled, reading the emotions on my face. "Good morning."

Even though I knew he didn't sleep, his voice was thick and sexy like he had. It made my toes curl and my body move instinctively move closer to him. I watched as the shadows of the waning moon danced over his pale face, making it look like he was glowing. His golden eyes were beacons calling out to mine and I traced my fingers along the dark shadows under them. "You need to hunt." Slowly I realized that it was Saturday and "morning" was not exactly how I would describe the time since there was no sunlight coming in my window. "What time is it?"

He smiled gently at me. "It's early. I wanted to wake you before I left so you wouldn't wonder where I was." I frowned at him. "You are leaving now?"

"The sun will be out today so I need to leave before it rises. Emmett and I are going north to hunt today. We will be out of the area until Sunday, but Alice said she would be watching over you."

"Is that really necessary?"

He took my hand in his and brought it to his lips. His breath was cool against my skin as he spoke. "Humor me."

I yawned and nodded at the same time. He kissed my forehead gently. "Go back to sleep. I will come back on Sunday. I would like to take you to my house, if that's acceptable to you?" He suddenly looked worried and I smiled up at him sleepily. "That would be very acceptable. I would love to see where you live. Are you sure your family wouldn't mind?" My mind flashed to Rosalie and Emmett's still-empty seats at the much table.

Edward stood next to my bed. "The one's that matter won't mind at all. Esme is very eager to see you." I started to rise to walk him to the window, but he placed a gentle hand on me, making me lie back again. He pulled the covers more tightly around me and ran a finger along my cheek one last time. "Be careful. I love you and will miss you every second."

I looked up at his perfect face, losing myself in his eyes again. "I love you too." He looked back at me once before jumping silently from the window. I sighed and buried my face into the pillow he had laid on all night, inhaling his lingering scent. I still felt the heat in my chest every time I heard him tell me he loved me. If it had been anything but love, the sensation would be painful…it was that powerful. I never hesitated to tell him that I loved him, and I didn't dare hope that he felt anything close to what I feel for him. I kept myself away from those thoughts as much as possible, just enjoying the moments as they came and holding onto him for as long as he would let me.

**Okay guys, show me that I should continue this story. I get a lot of story alerts… which is good I think. But I am losing my inspiration to work on this. Your excitement is what gets me working!**

**One a side note, I have purchased about 10 copies of twilight since discovering it a couple of months ago. There are a lot of little brown book-sized packages going out for Christmas. Some people have requested a copy to read for the first time, and others have no idea what the heck Twilight is all about…so I am educating them! : )**

**Oh, and on ****.com**** there is a big hooplah about Taylor getting replaced by this other dude…who could fit the bill with his looks but I really hope they change their mind and keep the original actors. I feel bad for Taylor and I don't even like him that much…he was so excited to play Jacob in the next film. But I can see why they would want someone buffer and taller and all that.**

**Who else thinks he should stay on? Anyone ready for someone new?**


	16. Chapter 14

**WOW! Thanks so much for those of you that gave me motivation! Someone was concerned that the story is fizzling out….fear not! There will be action mixed in with the fluffiness. And no I am not delving into the Edward leaving thing…there is no way to write better than SM on that and I am not the kind of writer that can pull off that kind of angst.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own them, but we are having fun!**

Chapter 14

I couldn't fall back asleep after Edward left. When I heard Charlie get up I decided to join him for breakfast. He looked surprised to see me. "Hey kid, what brings you out of bed this early?"

I got out all the ingredients for pancakes and began fixing some for both of us. Shrugging, I answered him. "No reason, I just couldn't sleep."

"You got plans for the day?"

I could tell he was getting ready for a fishing trip, his tackle box and pole were set beside the front door and he was wearing the red flannel shirt he always wore when fishing. He looked uncertainly from me to the fishing gear, and I tried not to laugh. "Don't worry dad, you don't need to hang out here. I have a ton of homework to do and laundry to catch up on."

He chewed the hot pancakes and hummed appreciatively. "We don't spend enough time together." He cut me off when I started to protest. "Now I know you have to get your work done, but can't you do that tomorrow?"

I thought about lying and telling him I was staying at home again, but I wasn't sure he would be fishing two days in a row and my lying skills were pretty bad. "I was invited over to the Cullen's house for the day."

He looked up at me then, "The Cullen's? With that girl…what's her name? Alice?"

I nodded carefully; technically, Alice would probably be there tomorrow.

He grunted and returned to his pancakes. "Well, when I get back tonight we are going to spend some time together. In fact…" he set his fork down on his empty plate, "why don't you come down to La Push after your homework is done? We can have dinner with Billy and Jake…who I know is chomping at the bit to see you again."

I grabbed his plate and went to the kitchen, ignoring his hints about Jake. While I was rinsing the plate I thought about Charlie's idea. While I didn't harbor any romantic feelings for Jacob, I enjoyed his company as a friend. I also knew that I didn't have _that_ much homework or laundry to do. Certainly not enough to keep me busy all day and evening. The visit would knock a few hours down and keep me distracted. If I stayed at home I knew I would just be staring at the window, willing Edward to jump through it.

"Okay Dad, I will meet you at the Black's house for dinner," I called out to him.

I needed this day to pass as quick as possible.

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Darkness was settling over the area as I urged my ancient truck farther from Forks. I was right about my homework…I had finished it along with my chores in record time and found myself walking around the house idly. I wanted to explore the wooded area around my house, looking for some of the things Emmett had taught me during our "lessons", but I remembered the promise I made to Charlie and Edward and stayed inside. When Charlie finally called to let me know they were ready I practically ran to my truck. Restless Bella is not a happy Bella.

I pulled in front of the Black's house and Jacob bounded out the door to greet me. "Hey Bella!" His excitement was contagious and I found myself grinning in response. We both felt more comfortable when we hugged each other in greeting. He kept one arm slung around me as we walked to the front porch. "Jake, I swear you get taller every day! What do they feed you on the reservation?" I joked. He laughed and looked down at me. "Hard to believe that I am just a little younger than you, right?" I looked away and tried to keep a tight smile in place, grateful to be out of his embrace when he opened the door for me. This was going to be a little more awkward than I thought.

Dinner was nice and I was glad that I came…until Jacob tried to vie for my attentions again. "Hey Bella, do you want to come hang out at the beach again tomorrow?" His dark eyes looked at me hopefully. I felt a small twinge of guilt as I declined his request, "Sorry, I already have plans with someone tomorrow. Maybe some other time?"

Charlie wiped his mouth and swallowed. "Bella has made friends with one of the Cullen girls." Billy stopped with his fork halfway to his mouth, his sharp eyes locked onto me. I immediately turned my gaze back to Jacob, who rolled his eyes at his father's reaction and smirked at me. I smiled back at him, but felt the weight of his father's stare on me through the rest of the night.

I lingered after dinner for a while, then made my excuses to head back home as soon as I felt it was polite. Billy's conversations with Charlie were limited to sports, and if he was less talkative than usual no one commented on it. Charlie told me he would be home when the game was over. I smiled at Billy, "Thanks again for dinner." He narrowed his gaze at me. "Sure, sure…be careful out there." I caught the underlying meaning of his words and nodded without further comment.

Jacob walked me out to my truck. The moon was hidden behind thick clouds and rain was heavy in the night air. I couldn't see much beyond the glow of the porch lights and was glad of Jacob's presence. "Sorry about the weirdness with my Dad…he still believes in all the old stories." He looked mildly embarrassed talking about his father. I waved it off, "Don't worry about it."

"So…you are hanging out with the Cullen's now?" He stood next to my truck as I climbed in, keeping the door open to talk to him. "Yeah, we have a lot of classes together." Jake watched his boot scuff the ground. I watched him curiously, noting that despite the fact I was fighting not to shake from the chill in the air, Jake seemed perfectly comfortable in a light t-shirt. "Are you hanging out with…all of them?"

I had a pretty good idea where this was going. "Well, you know that they are the one's helping me out with the hiking questions…and they all know a little something about that so yeah, I hang out with pretty much all of them." I knew my answers were vague, but I didn't want Charlie finding out from the Black's about Edward. Jake looked up at me with a hopeful smile. "So you are just friends with them?"

I sighed quietly, "Jake, I am dating someone from school…just don't mention it to Charlie. I think he would have a heart attack or something." I really hoped Jake could keep quiet for Charlie's sake…if not for mine.

He looked crestfallen for just a second, then his grin was back in place. "Hey, no problem. You will still come hang out though, right?" I gave him a genuine smile this time. "Of course!"

I felt a lot better when I drove home. While I didn't completely believe Jake would stop hoping I would become single….and believe me, I was flattered…at least I made my position known and cleared the air. I hummed to some random song fading in and out on the radio. Besides Billy's disapproving glare, I would count the evening's distraction a success. While there was no possible way I could completely remove Edward from my mind, and not that I would want to, the evening had moved by a lot faster than it would if I was home by myself. It was already almost nine-thirty.

I parked my truck and walked to the front door, my mind on what I would wear to meet Edward's mother for the first time. Edward had explained to me that none of the family was physically related, but for all intents and purposes she was the only mother he has known. It was impossible not to be nervous meeting her for the first time, not to mention being in the presence of the Cullen family in their own home.

I locked the door behind me and moved to flip on the light when I was grabbed and pulled against a wall. I pulled in my breath to let out a scream when a voice flowed over me. "Bella, it's alright…you're safe." I realized that it wasn't a wall I was being held against, it was Edward's chest, and he was clutching me like a drowning man. I tried to breathe normally and my eyes slid shut in relief. I snaked my arms around his waist and was surprised to feel his body shaking slightly. He kept saying "_you're safe_" over and over again, but after a moment I wasn't sure if he was really reassuring me or himself. His hand curled into my hair and held my head against his shoulder. His other arm wrapped around my body and held me tighter than he has ever dared before. I pulled back slightly. "Edward, what's wrong?"

He took a deep breath in and slowly released it. The shaking calmed slightly and he gradually loosened his grip on me. "Are you okay?" he whispered shakily. I managed to pull back on his grip enough to see his face. His eyes were intensely focused on me…searching over me on concern. His red lips were tight in stress and the planes of his face seemed sharpened with his extreme emotions.

"Am _I_ okay?" I almost laughed. "Are _you _okay? What's going on?"

His eyes closed briefly and he whispered quietly, "Give me a minute," before releasing me and stepping away. He walked across the room and I saw him fighting for control. His back was turned to me and the glow of the kitchen light allowed me to see the tenseness of his posture. I wanted to reach out to him, but felt it would be better to obey his requested and I folded my arms across my waist…waiting for an explanation.

I jumped as the shrill ringing of his cell phone broke the silence. He answered is on the first ring, "Alice…yes she is here. She seems fine. I don't know yet, I will let you know."

He shut the phone and then turned to me. I bit my lip, holding back from him until he told me otherwise. He sighed one more time, then gave me a small smile and held open his arms. I didn't need anymore encouragement. I sprinted across the room and slammed myself back into his embrace. He buried his face in my hair and rubbed his hands over my back soothingly. When I felt him relax I felt confident enough to ask for answers. "Edward, please tell me what is going on."

"Not here," he murmured against me, "your father will be home soon."

Apparently he didn't want to release me just yet, because he swept me up into his embrace and the next moment we were standing in my bedroom. He didn't let go of me even then, but sat in the chair and kept me snuggled on his lap. My face was against his chest and his face rested on the top of my head. We stayed like that in silence. Eventually the sounds of Charlie arriving home filtered through the house. We listened as he moved into the bedroom and began snoring almost immediately.

Edward kept his voice low, "Where were you tonight?"

I kept my face in his chest. "We had dinner at the Black's house at La Push." I looked up at him, "I didn't go into the forest I swear…."

He placed a cold finger on my lips. "I believe you. Nothing happened? You weren't in any danger?"

I shook my head, "Edward, what's going on? Why were you so angry?"

My angel smiled down at me, "Bella, I was not angry…I was afraid."

My confusion prompted him to continue. "Alice had been keeping watch over you today while we were out hunting." I interrupted him, "So she followed me to La Push?"

He shook his head. "She wasn't physically watching you…she was keeping an eye out on your future."

He had explained to me how Alice's visions worked, although it still was a little confusing to me.

"She saw you leave the house and drive out of town, but then your future just…disappeared. When she called me I thought….." His voiced broke and his grip tightened on mine. "We looked for you all over town, tried to follow your scent the best we could. When we couldn't find you I came back here to wait for Charlie and read his thoughts, physically confront him if I had to."

I snuggled deeper into his embrace and ran my fingers through his hair to try to calm him. "So a person's future disappears that means that they are…dead?"

I felt him shake his head, "It makes no sense…one minute she had a lock on you and the next you were gone. She had never experience anything like it, except briefly one time before."

"When you came to my window that one night?" He nodded. My mind clicked on the events of that day. "I was at La Push that night too."

He became very still as he thought that over. "She wasn't watching you as closely that night so we didn't panic as much that night. That must be the common factor. When you go to La Push Alice can't see your future until you get back."

"Is it just me?"

"I will have Alice watch Charlie and see if the same effect happens. Today her sole focus was trained on you."

"I am sorry that you were worried, I honestly didn't mean to make you or your family anxious." My sentence ended on a yawn.

He stood and carried me over to the bed, setting me on my feet long enough to pull back the covers and help me remove my jacket. I sat on the bed and almost protested when he began gently removing my shoes, but I sensed that this was something he needed to do to reassure himself that I was alright…so I let him continue. "There was no way you could have known. Alice has told my family that you are safe so that they can relax and I am sure they will be eager to hear about our discoveries tomorrow."

I climbed into bed fully clothed and he immediately lay down beside me and pulled me close. I felt his cool breath move through my hair and I ran my fingers absently over his bare arm. "Edward?"

"Hmmm?" he mumbled behind me.

"What's Esme like?"

He stayed quiet for moment.

"Esme is the heart of the family. She is unbelievably kind and gentle…patient to almost a fault. But if she thinks her family is in danger then she is a force to be reckoned with. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged lightly. "I am just trying to picture her, give myself a little advantage for tomorrow."

I felt him chuckle against me. "You are worried about meeting her?" When I didn't answer he kissed the top of my head lightly. "Don't be….she already loves you."

I turned my head to look at him, "She hasn't even met me."

His face was full of the love that I felt I didn't feel I deserved. "She loves you because I love you, and you make me happy."

I couldn't help but give him a little smile back. "I do?"

He kissed my nose and then each cheek. My face burned where he touched me. "Very much so."

I pushed my luck and briefly pressed my lips against his. "You have no idea how you make me feel."

He didn't disagree, but he tried his best to convince me otherwise with another mind-blowing kiss.

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I fidgeted in the passenger seat of Edward's car, picking at imaginary lint on my jean skirt and white long-sleeved shirt. I had laughed when Edward picked out a turtle-neck sweater and had defiantly picked a less-conservative shirt and even foregoing the rain jacket. I trusted him to keep me safe and I didn't want his family to think I was afraid of them…which I was, but for a whole different reason.

Edward reached over and grasped my hand to keep it still. "Relax, you look enchanting. They will love you."

"Even Rosalie?" I asked sarcastically.

He winced at that. "She will come around…eventually.

We pulled down a long, hidden drive that circled around trees and ended in a clearing that held one of the most beautiful houses I had ever seen. It only added the surreal effect of the world I was becoming more entangled in.

Edward pulled up near the front porch and swiftly got out the car to open my door. When I sat staring at the large white structure in front of me, he reached his hand out and smiled at me in encouragement. I took a fortifying breath and placed my trembling hand into his.

When he opened the front door I was immediately enveloped into a tight embrace. Short dark hair tickled my face and the arms wrapped around my waist were slender. Alice pulled back from me and gave me a smile almost as dazzling as Edward's. "Bella! I am so glad you are okay! When I lost my visions I didn't know what to think." She gave me a mildly reproachful look, like it was my fault that her visions suddenly stopped.

I gave her a small smile, "Sorry, I didn't know that would happen. I appreciate you all looking for me." Edward put his hands on my shoulders. "Alice, we need to talk about your visions, we have a few ideas." Alice seemed to ignore him. "Bella, you and I need to spend more time together…now that my brother has finally given in and plans on keeping you around. Maybe you could stay over one night soon?" I smiled back at her. I was really looking forward to spending more time with her and I felt slightly more at ease.

I heard a soft, melodic voice come from the entryway of what I assume was the kitchen. "Of course she should! We would love to have you over anytime, Bella." I turned and sucked in my breath when I saw Edward's mother for the first time. If I had one word to describe her it would be _angelic_. Her soft caramel colored hair flowed around her shoulders and her smile radiated warmth. I tensed up for all of a second, then immediately relaxed. At first I thought Jasper had entered the room, but I realized that I was just reacting to Esme's aura. She couldn't have been older than twenty five when she was turned, but I knew why she was considered to be the mother of the Cullen family. When I saw her I had visions of home-cooked meals, bedtime stories and warm blankets.

While I was busy staring at her she floated over to me and enveloped me in a soft embrace. Like the other Cullens, she took a delicate sniff of my hair and I was no longer startled by it. She pulled back and laid a cool hand against my cheek. "Oh Edward you are right, she is lovely." I blushed under her praise and stole a glance at Edward, who was staring at me with a silly grin on his face. "Bella, meet my mother."

"It's very nice to finally meet you Mrs. Cullen. You have a very lovely home."

Esme shook her head at me. "Please, call me Esme. And the pleasure is all mine, trust me." She took me back into her arms and I closed my eyes as I hugged her, missing my own mother terribly in that moment. "Thank you." She whispered to me. I felt confused at her gratitude and she elaborated. "You brought my family together. Now that Edward is happy we are complete." I felt tears threaten as the sincerity of her words pulled at my heart.

Edward cleared his throat and Esme released me. Her laugh was infectious. "Look at me, getting weepy in front of our guest!"

"Your tender heart is why I fell in love with you." Carlisle's voice flowed over us and we all turned to smile at him. He glanced around at us while Esme walked into his open arms. "Well, I have to say…seeing all these happy faces is a cause for great emotion indeed!" Edward pulled me close to his side while Alice held one of my hands. I was so overcome with a feeling of love and content in that moment that I couldn't help the tear that escaped. My heart felt so full that it was only natural something would spill from my eyes. Edward put a finger under my chin and tilted my face up to his, his face lined with concern. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

I shook my head and laughed, wiping the tear away. "It's nothing…I just never expected to feel so…."

"At home?" he finished for me. I nodded and his smile lit up the room.

Emmett came bounding down the stairs with Jasper not far behind. "Squirt!" he bellowed and charged across the open family room. He ignored Edward's attempt to keep me at his side and picked me up in his brawny arms, spinning around in happy circles. I laughed with him as I heard Edward remind Emmett that I was breakable.

He set me down, "You're family now…that means you are stuck with me!" I think I surprised us both when I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Jasper stayed at the back of the room and I understood from Edward why he was a little uncomfortable around me. While I wasn't as enticing to the other's as I was to Edward, Jasper's history made it harder for him to remain a "vegetarian" than the rest of the family. I just smiled and waved and he returned a smile of his own. Alice skipped over to him and I took in the way he looked at her…like she was the only one in the room.

Finally the moment I had been dreading came about. Rosalie's long legs came into view as she walked down the stairs into the family room. Her face remained frozen in displeasure as usual. I expected her to stay at the back of the room with Jasper and had to force myself not to cower back when she stalked right up to stand beside of Emmett. I felt Edward come up behind me but he did not touch me. I was grateful of that because I needed to show her I could stand on my own two feet….or at least I thought I could.

I waited for some sort of sarcastic remark about "the human" to come out of her perfectly shaped lips, but it seemed like everyone in the room was remaining quiet. It made me very aware of every loud beat my heart made. I finally decided to bite the bullet and make my best effort, for Edward's sake. I stuck my hand out. "Hi Rosalie. I appreciate you allowing me to come to your home. I hope we get a chance to know each other better." I hoped my voice sounded more confident than I thought it did.

She gave me a long evaluation from head to toe and then raised her nose a fraction of an inch higher. She ignored my hand. "We'll see. I won't make any promises." She tugged on Emmett's arm and he sent me an apologetic look over his shoulder as they walked back up the stairs.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding and felt Edwards pull my back against his chest. He rested his chin on my head. "I'm sorry about that. Just ignore her."

I spun around in his arms my eyebrows raised. "Are you kidding? That went _so_ much better than I had imagined!" He gave me a confused look and I explained. "That was the nicest thing she has said to me yet! That gives me hope."

Alice caught my attention from across the room. "You're right Bella…you and Rosalie will be close one day…not as close as you and me, but you'll see!"

I smiled widely. This day was going so much better than I could have ever hoped for. Edward kissed my cheek. "Would it be alright if Esme showed you around the house? I have to speak to Carlisle and Alice for a moment." I knew he wanted to talk about La Push and Alice's visions, so I nodded and immediately Esme was at my side. While we walked together I was able to glance around the open area and took note that a large piano was nestled in the corner near the window. Esme briefly pointed out some things in this room and then turned me towards the stairs. "This is my favorite of all the houses we own."

Houses? As in…more than one?

"The family room takes up most of the bottom floor, but there is a kitchen and dining room…just for show of course."

I nodded, realizing those were pretty useless rooms for them.

She continued her tour of the upper floors, telling me a brief history of a picture or piece of art. I quickly learned that pretty much nothing was just a trinket or meaningless nick-nack…everything had significance in their house. Each item or picture was a piece of their history and I was fascinated with every new fact I learned.

Finally we reached the top floor. Every level was bright with the back walls made into full sized windows. I would love to see everyone on a sunny day, lounging in their comfortable clothes and sparkling like a million diamonds. It was something I just couldn't picture easily.

"This is Edward's room." She walked up to the door at the end of the hall and instead of simply pointing it out like the other rooms, she opened the door and we walked inside. I hesitated in the entryway. "He won't mind me being in here without him?"

Esme's smile washed over me. "Of course not, dear. You are the biggest part of his life now and he wants to share as much with you as possible." I flushed again hearing Edward's mother talk so openly about our relationship. "Besides, he asked that you wait up here for him." She sat down on a dark leather couch and patted the space next to her, inviting me to sit. I did so and then glanced around the room, noting the lack of bed….understandably…and the enormous collection of music.

"Bella, how much has Edward told you about his life with us?" I turned and looked at Esme. Her eyes did not reflect hesitation or concern, just honest curiosity.

"I am not sure what you mean."

She grabbed my hand in her own cold one. "Did he tell you about how he passed the time these past eighty-plus years?" I lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "He mentioned some of the tings he likes to do…play piano and baseball…and I know he likes to read and listen to all kinds of music."

Esme smiled proudly. "Yes, he plays the piano beautifully. All of us have our own favorite hobbies and activities. But for Edward, his time was mostly spent alone even when surrounded by people. Not long after he was turned by Carlisle, the family kept growing…"

I waited patiently as she explained how they all came together over the years, some of which I already knew from Edward.

"So you see, we have a close family, but some parts of our family are closer than others. Most of us had found our mates, the ones we want to spend eternity with. But Edward is different.

"Edward never quite fit in like the rest did. He was content enough I suppose, but even while we lived our lives and did the things we all took so much joy in…I could tell he was not complete." Her face held a hint of sadness as she recalled Edward's life.

"Even when he composed his music, it always tore at my heart. Call it a mother's intuition, but I always thought there was a deep melancholy undertone to each piece. We all began to think that this is just who he was and he would always be this way."

She bit her lip and then her smile came back in full force. "Until the day he met you. Bella, you replaced the old Edward Cullen with someone who I thought I would never get a chance to meet…a young man who is finally happy with his existence."

I shook my head, speaking for the first time. "I didn't even think he liked me for the longest time."

"I can't imagine how difficult it has been…for either of you. But even that first night when he came home from the forest, frustrated and terrified of his feelings, I knew he had changed. It was like the breaking of the dawn….each time I saw him after that another ray of light shone through his darkness. He fell in love with you and you _saved _him!"

"No, he saved me…in more ways than one. Without him I would be nothing. Maybe I would be breathing and walking…but I wouldn't be _alive_ without him. I can't live without my heart."

I knew that vampires couldn't cry, so I let the tears fall for both of us when Esme hugged me again. I cried for a mother's love. I cried for Edward's long sadness…and I cried in relief that I stumbled into his life….I cried because the day I met him is the day my heart really started beating.

I felt Edward's presence fill the room and released Esme to smile at him reassuringly. He looked worried at my tear stained smile for a moment, but then looked searchingly at Esme's face. He must have been pleased with what he heard because a slow smile lifted his features.

Esme stood with a sigh. "Well I will leave you two to alone now. Please come back soon, Bella. Think of this place as your home." She squeezed my hand one last time as I nodded and smiled… then she was gone.

Edward swiftly took her place on the couch, looking at me for any more tears making an appearance. I laughed at his wary look and started to swipe the tears away, but he moved to do it for me. I closed my eyes as his cool, marbled skin relieved my burning, tear soaked cheek. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought you here…all you have done is cried since we arrived." He voice was teasing and I checked to see that his smile was still in place, not wanting him to be worried over my silly human emotions.

"No, I am glad I came…even if your family thinks I am a basket case."

Edward's smile became more serious. "If Esme could cry, she would have been just as soaked as you are. When I heard what you said to her through her memories, I felt like I could have wept as well. You completely humble me with your love Bella. I hope one day I am able to deserve it."

I carefully moved myself so I was sitting in his lap, wrapped in his chiseled embrace. "Silly vampire…you have that all backwards." I was again glad Edward couldn't read my mind. It was continuously filled with the nagging doubt of our relationship. I was constantly feeling inadequate next to him. It felt totally bizarre to hear him say he felt unworthy.

"I don't want to argue right now. Right now I am happier than I have been in all my existence." He whispered this against my hair, stroking its length down my back in a soothing motion. I could easily see myself like this forever…and that was a subject I wanted to discuss….very soon.

**Okay guys, a little longer this time because your reviews kept me going! See how that works? ;) Thanks so much for the time you all took to drop me a line of encouragement. This was a very fluffy sugary-sweet happy go lucky chapter because that's how I feel when I think of visiting the Cullen's house…go figure.**

**I am ready to throw in some action soon…so the overnight hiking trip is coming and if you haven't already guessed it the nomad vampires will be showing their face soon. Oh, and notice how I haven't thrown in a lot of details about the Cullen's house, their history and Edward's room and all that? Yeah, we all know how that goes…I get irritated repeating that stuff so if you need a refresher on anything let me know (but don't we all know the floor plan of the Cullen house by heart now?)**


	17. Chapter 15

**So I thought I would be cool and submit my other story Physical Encounter to some other archives…I was rejected! They said it was due to improper paragraph and line breaks…dude! They said I was welcome to resubmit it when I felt it had been corrected. Forget that! I break my stories up to make it easiest to read. That irks me.**

**I apologize for the delay. It's the holidays, my internet only works every now and then and on top of it all I am sick. Traditionally, I always get sick on Christmas…so apparently I am predictable.**

**The good news is that since the internet is not working I cant always get sucked into other fanfiction and until I feel better I am not moving too far from the bed….so that means more time to type! I will write as much as I can.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but I do own the bad line and paragraph breaks in my other story apparently.**

Chapter 15

I was unaware of the days flying by. That was a big clue that I was in love.

The first part of the week came and went without me noticing anything but the time I spent with Edward. I never got my homework done so fast and Charlie probably thought something was wrong with how much I was "sleeping". Now if I could only convince him to go to bed earlier my wait for Edward would be much more bearable.

Edward was being exceptionally patient with my reluctance to introduce him to my father…I guess that comes from being an immortal. I knew that the moment Charlie realized I had a boyfriend, the hovering would begin. Neither me or my father felt the least bit comfortable talking about relationships, so I figured avoidance was the best course of action…for now.

It was Wednesday and I had just sat down at lunch with the Cullens. Rosalie and Emmett had been sitting with us again, though Rosalie continued to ignore me for the most part. Edward and I started "sharing" a tray of food, but he still put enough on my tray to feed the whole table. Alice sighed and leaned back in her chair, "Thank _God_ the week is over! I don't think I could take another day of this right now."

My brow furrowed in confusion and I counted the days back in my head. "Alice, it's just Wednesday. We still have two more days."

Her laugh tinkled over me. "Bella! Its fall break tomorrow! No school for the rest of the week."

That thought instantly lifted my spirits, a very pleasant surprise.

Then I realized that Edward had known about this the entire time. I turned my accusing gaze to him. "You _knew_ it was a short week!"

He nodded with a carefully blank look on his face. I would have slapped his arm in frustration if I didn't think it would only hurt me. "You _knew_ we could have started our trip early and you didn't say anything!"

He winced, "I was hoping you wouldn't bring that up."

"But you promised we could go this weekend."

"Bella, I want to make sure there is no more out-of-the-ordinary danger before I take you for a camping trip into the middle of the forest."

I almost melted under his concerned gaze, his dazzle power in full effect. But I had picked up a thing or two while spending time with his family. I turned back to Alice. "So, what do you see happening? Is it safe to go or not?"

Edward tried to give Alice a sharp look, but I leaned to block his line of sight. Alice wasn't looking at him anyway, she was staring at nothing…her eyes narrowed in concentration. "The visitors are still in the area, but farther north from town. They have decided to move towards Canada."

I swirled back to Edward, a pleading look on my face. "See? The danger is passed. Can we please go over break?"

Edward looked at me carefully. "You don't fight fair, Bella." I didn't understand what he was talking about. "You must not realize how I am unable to refuse you anything when you look at me like that."

I managed not to cheer in victory. Emmett chimed across the table…the voice of reasoning for once. "Hey squirt, what are you going to tell your old man where you are going for the rest of the week?"

I hadn't thought about that. An overnight excursion could be blamed on a trip to Seattle. I was fairly sure he would have agreed to let me stay in a motel since it was such a far drive. But a trip for several days by myself would surely be out of the question. I looked over at the table at Jessica and Angela. Angela might help me, but she spent so much time at Ben's house that she couldn't cover for me if Charlie called her house. Jessica was so opening jealous of my time with the Cullens that I doubt she would even try to help.

Alice chirped next to me, a grin on her face. "Charlie will believe you."

I just blinked at her.

"When you tell him that you are spending the break with me…after he meets me he will not be concerned and he won't call to check on you."

I beamed at her, "Alice you are wonderful!"

Her grin didn't fade. "Thank you for agreeing to my terms."

"Terms?" I asked apprehensively. Edward began chuckling next to me.

"She is going to take you shopping tomorrow, then we will begin our trip on Friday."

I thought it over. While I didn't particularly like shopping, I didn't see a reason not to go with her if it made her happy. "Why are you laughing? Why wouldn't I agree?"

I almost fell off my chair in shock when Rosalie leaned forward to look at me from around Emmett. "You have never been shopping with Alice before?"

I could only manage to shake my head.

She looked from Alice and then back to me with a calculating look. Then her lips pursed together with what could _almost_ be considered a smile. "This I _have_ to see. I'm in."

Emmett wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "That's my girl!" He looked at her with a pleased grin. She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Its not like I am pledging to be her BFF or anything, it's just going to be entertaining to see if she survives Hurricane Alice."

That should have been a big warning to me about the next day, but I was too excited about not only starting the camping trip early but extending it by a night as well. Edward and I alone, no Charlie in the next room, no family hanging around….just the two of us…

How bad could shopping be?

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Awful. Horrible…a nightmare!

That's how bad it could be.

Alice drove us to Port Angeles, which was not a large town by any means and I didn't consider it to be a shopping Mecca or anything…but apparently Alice knew how to take advantage of every store we stopped in. After the first store I quickly realized that she wasn't shopping so much for her, but for me. I protested immediately. Not only did I not have the funds to be wasting on clothes that I would only wear once, but shopping for myself was very low on my list of fun things to do with my fall break. Alice was determined, she handed me piles upon piles of clothes and shoved me into various dressing rooms, demanding I model the outfits for her approval. All the while, Rosalie casually browsed the store and watched our interactions with amusement. I was happy that she wasn't openly hostile to me, but having a friend to help me out would have been nice.

My protests doubled at the checkout counters when Alice refused to let me pay for the items she approved of. Rosalie's sports car was quickly filling with clothes, shoes and accessories. The day finally came to an end, the sky darkening and the stores resources were depleted after Alice was done playing dress-up. I looked at the clock in the car as I slumped into the back seat, surprised to see that it was already seven in the evening. I may have dozed on the way back to the Cullen house, but I wasn't sure.

Rosalie and Alice chatted about fashion and thankfully didn't drag me into any of their debates. I reminded myself to thank both of them for the trip. Rosalie smirked at me in the rearview mirror. "The look on your face when Alice handed you the first stack of clothes made my day."

Well, I was glad I could entertain both the Cullen girls today.

The girls gathered the bags and practically dragged me into the house. The whole family was seated on the couch in the living room, watching television or playing cards. Edward was on his feet, looking for me around the mountains of shopping bags. When Emmett saw my face, he started laughing uncontrollably. "You broke her!"

The rest of the family joined in the laughter, except for Edward. He smiled softly at me but took in my exhausted expression and reached for me in concern. "You look tired, sweetheart."

I nodded wearily. "Your sister is a menace."

Alice smirked back at me. "Don't worry, you wont agree to go with me again for a long time."

I could only be grateful for that insight as I started to walk towards the couch. I tripped over a shoe box and Edward was the only thing keeping me from sprawling across the hardwood floor. His amusement faded when he heard my stomach growl. When he had me secured in his arms, he turned to glare at Alice and Rosalie. "You two _did_ take her to get something to eat today, right?"

Alice's eyes widened and she looked sheepishly at Rosalie, who just shrugged. Edward growled quietly and moved with me towards the kitchen.

I tried to soothe his anger at his sisters, "Edward, it's my fault. I lost track of time."

He set me on the counter and made sure I was steady before moving to the refrigerator. "They have a one-tracked mind when it comes to shopping. I should have warned you better."

I watched as he pulled a frozen pizza out and turned on the oven, reading the back of the box for the instructions. It was odd to see him with food, and I realized something, "Edward, why is there food in your house?"

He looked up from the pizza and gave me a dazzling smile. "Esme. She wanted to make sure you were comfortable when you came to visit us, so she stocked up on some human food for you."

I flushed with embarrassment, not wanting anyone to go through any trouble to make me feel comfortable. I knew how much they disliked human food. On the other hand, it was a sign of real acceptance from Edward's mother, and that was very important to me.

"We are still going hiking tomorrow, right?"

Edward popped the pizza in the oven and slowly walked over to me. He placed his hands on either side of the counter next to me and leaned in almost unbearably close. I shivered as his breath moved along my face. "Are you sure you feel up to it, after your excursion with my sisters?" His voice was teasing, his lips moving from my cheek down to my jaw. My eyes slid shut in ecstasy, trying to maintain the conversation. I think I managed to mutter "uhh huh". Edward's laughter rumbled against my throat, where his mouth was doing magical things. I felt myself sway and I clutched his tightly muscled arms in response. I felt one of his hands move to press against my lower back, moving our bodies closer. His lips and tongue worked on my collar bone and my breath hitched uncontrollably. Edward growled and then reluctantly pulled back. My eyes slid open to find that his were now closed. He breathed deep in through his nose, then his heated gaze rake over me. I felt my lust-induced blush burn brighter, and he focused on the color splashed across my face. "Beautiful," he murmured. I had been looking forward to spending time alone with Edward on this hiking trip, but now the anticipation was fierce.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thankfully, Edward let me sleep in the next day. I wasn't sure I could make it on this trip without a little recovery time. Alice was a serious force of nature. She was the one who drove me back to the house last night to meet with Charlie and give me a cover story, as promised. He immediately became enamored with Alice and accepted her story of my sleepover without question. I had my "sleepover" bag prepared just for show, and secretly had my hiking pack ready in the closet.

I had loaded it down with all the necessary gear. This time I was prepared. Edward and I were going to hike the same trail I had gone on with my other friends, but this time I was determined to complete the trail. We had mapped out a route that would get us through the trail within three days instead of four.

As I lifted my pack onto my shoulders I was pleasantly surprised at the weight of it. I had to give Emmett credit, the rocks were a good tool to get me used to the weight of the gear. Edward shrugged on a coat and turned to smile at me. I eyed his warm clothing. "I thought you didn't get cold."

He kissed me lightly on the nose and then held my hand as we moved to the trail. "It's not for me. It's in case you get cold tonight." I couldn't imagine being cold, when his kindness warmed me from head to toe.

We got a few miles in when we stopped for a break…well, a break for the human anyways. This time I was able to appreciate the surrounding area and smiled at Edward. I was very happy to see his sexy grin still in place. I think we were both completely relaxed for the first time in a long time.

When we reached the first campsite we were ahead of schedule. I dropped my pack and looked at Edward after taking a long swing from my canteen. "Should we keep going to the next campsite?"

Edward walked behind me and I felt his cool hands on my shoulders. He gently pressed his fingertips into my coat and rubbed my tired muscles. When he spoke it only added to my relaxation. "I think we have done enough for today. You will be sore in the morning even if you aren't already."

He was probably right.

"Also, there are a few lingering hikers in the next campsite. I assume you don't want to share our space with anyone?" I nodded in agreement, unable to form any coherent words while his hands were moving on me. He laughed lightly and I mourned the loss of his touch. "Come on, I will get a fire started for you." I grinned as I grabbed my pack. I was looking forward to seeing his face by the glow of the campfire again.

We spent the night in each others arms again. I would like to say it was as magical as I had imagined….but I was more tired than I thought I was. Edward rubbed my sore shoulders for just a short while before I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep…surrounded by sleeping bag and Edward.

The sun was out this morning but there were dark clouds on the horizon, threatening to take away the brief period of warmth spread over the forest. Edward let me direct our way along the trail and I was pleased in my new ability in navigating the dividing trails. We passed the fork that had led me to him the first time and we both smiled in remembrance. The day passed quickly as we kept talking and asking questions about each other. He never ran out of things to ask me about my life, even though he had lived a much longer life than I had. I asked him what the rest of his family was doing this weekend. "They are waiting on us, actually. Emmett told you they would be meeting us later on in the trip?" I nodded and he continued. "Well tonight there will be storms moving through the area so the whole family will be meeting us to play baseball tonight."

I remembered that he told me he liked baseball, but somehow I couldn't picture Rosalie wanting to get her hands dirty enough to join in.

"Why do you play in thunderstorms?"

He grinned at me. "You'll see."

When we stopped for a break Edward took my hand in his. He had a secretive look on his face. "I have something to show you."

I allowed him to place me on his back and remembered to close my eyes as he took off into the forest. It was only a second later that I felt the wind stop rushing past me and opened my eyes. I gasped at the area before us.

We were on the edge of the most beautiful meadow I had ever seen. It put the beauty of the mountains to shame. There were still a few wildflowers dotted in the tall grass and multi-colored leaves were spread around us like a natural carpet. I slid from Edward's back and took a few steps from under the tree and into the sunlight. I spun around in a circle, laughing and feeling free. When my eyes landed on Edward he was standing in the sunlight as well, and all the beauty of the meadow faded as I stared at him. His already magnificent skin sparkled radiantly and the afternoon sun set his bronze hair ablaze. While his eyes were not dark with thirst, they were intense with need. He was not smiling, instead his gaze seemed to be devouring me.

I walked up to him and placed a hand along his cheek, watching his skin reflect rainbows onto mine. I felt like we were in a dream, the feeling I had for him was so intense there was no way I could imagine waking up. "I love you, beyond words," I whispered to him, not taking my eyes from his. I wanted him to understand the depth of my feelings, even if I couldn't.

I felt him take a breath in, and then he kissed the center of my palm reverently. I felt the shock of it travel down my arm straight into my stomach. He took my hand and slowly ran it down his face, to his neck and then lower. He pressed my palm flat onto the center of his silent chest. His words sounded thick as he poured his love into me. "If my heart could beat, it would beat only for you."

Before I could recover from the feelings that swarmed over me he crashed his lips onto mine. My knees gave out and he wrapped an arm around my waist, lowering us both gently into the soft leaves. When we broke apart from our kiss I was dizzy and empowered all at once. I knew we had to take things slow… he was afraid of losing control and hurting me. I had a feeling he had much more control than I had…so I was very careful not to climb on top of him like I wanted to.

Instead, I ran my fingers through his hair and looked over him, a soft smile permanently attached to my face. I was happy to see him smile as well. He intertwined his fingers with mine and held it close to him as he leaned over my prone form. "I exist because of you."

I imagined what it would be like to spend eternity in his arms, and felt a pang of longing. "Edward, I can't _not _be with you. I need you, always."

He kissed me lightly. "You will always have me, my love."

I shook my head and bit my lip in hesitation. I wasn't sure how he would react to what I proposed. From what I have learned, the Cullens didn't take the subject of vampire transformation lightly. Edward looked at my lips and rescued them from my teeth, soothing the abused flesh with his thumb. I resisted the urge to take his finger into my mouth and stayed resolute. "No, Edward. I want to be with you…forever."

He looked from my lips to my eyes, and I saw the moment he realized what I was requesting.

"No."

I flinched like I had been slapped. The coldness and determination in his voice floored me, and it wasn't nearly the answer I had been hoping for. "Why?" I managed to whisper. A thousand thoughts flew through my head in that moment. What if he didn't want to be with me forever? A human lifespan was so short compared to an eternity…what if all he wanted was this short time and then he would continue on with his existence? The feeling of doubt came washing over me and I had to turn away from him, hiding the feelings I knew were flashing across my face and the tears that threatened to fall. I knew that Edward and I were not properly matched, and I had almost come to the point of overlooking that fact, but now it was thrust to the front of my mind.

Edward's cool fingers cupped my face and gently turned me to him. I didn't look him in the eyes, I stared at his mouth. It was not the best place to look, because I instantly started thinking about not having an eternity with those lips and it tore my heart to pieces. "Bella? Are you crying?" I shook my head even as a tear spilled over. He made a painful sound and gathered me close, rolling onto his side and bringing me with him. I tucked my head into his chest as he rubbed my back. "Shhh, sweetheart. Don't cry. I hate seeing you hurt…please talk to me." He continued murmuring in my ear until I managed to take a steady breath and look up at him. His brow was furrowed in concern as he wiped the last of my tears away. "Tell me." He whispered gently.

I decided I might as well go all the way, I had nothing to lose at that point.

"You don't want to….you don't want me for forever." I meant it to sound like a question, but it sounded more like a statement. His face changed from concern, to understanding, to angry. He cupped both sides of my face. "Listen to me Isabella Marie Swan, there is nothing more in this universe I want more than to be with you for every single second of forever."

"But…then why…"

He looked at me with a pained expression. "I can't do it. I can't take your life, your soul."

"My soul?" I looked at him questionably, and then sat upright in surprise. "You don't think you have a soul?" My voice was loud filled with incredulity. "Edward! How can you say that?"

Edward sat up with me and pursed his lips. "Bella, I am a monster. No matter what you may think, it's true. I have killed people, and I wanted to kill you."

"But that's not who you are now. I know about those other people, and I know they were not good people." He flashed me a questioning look and I shrugged. "Alice." Edward just scoffed and rolled his eyes. "So it's alright to kill, just not good people?" His voice was sarcastic and biting, and I forced myself to keep pushing.

"It's alright to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. Those people were rapists, murderers…if you hadn't stopped them then how many people would they have hurt later?"

Edward shook his head and looked away from me. The sunlight was abruptly pulled away, hidden behind thick clouds and I felt a chill deep in my bones.

"So Carlisle doesn't have a soul? Or Alice?" I broke out the big guns, "Or Esme?"

His head whipped around to look at me, and I bravely met his gaze. He couldn't argue with me on that point and we both knew it. He sighed and his shoulders slumped. I went with my instinct and wrapped my arms around him. After a second, I felt him return the embrace. "Edward," I talked against his shoulder but I knew he could hear me, "I know you have a soul, because if you are telling the truth about loving me it means you have to have one." I pulled back just enough to see his face change. He went from looking pained to looking hopeful. I bit my lip to keep from screaming in victory. Whether he realized it or not, I had won.

He moved the hair from off my neck and smiled as tilted my head to the side, giving him instant access. He ran his fingers over my pulse and then bent low over me. I held my breath in anticipation, but he merely pressed his lips to the skin covering my life-force. The disappointment I felt was erased as he whispered against my skin. "Never doubt my love for you. It is the one thing I am certain of in this world." Then after a moment he chuckled, "Breathe, Bella."

I let out a whoosh of air and my muscles turned to jelly. He laid my limp form back onto the ground and moved his mouth to mine. My mind moved from anything but the feel of his marble lips and firm hands as they clasped mine.

A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance and Edward brought his head up. While I gasped for air and composure, he grinned and brought us both to our feet. "Time to play some baseball."

**Check out my profile and let me know what you think about the banner I made for Physical encounter. I'm not crazy about it but I cant think of anything else. A shout out again to Loulabelle who is the reason why I exist…okay maybe the reason I write lol. She writes the best reviews and keeps me excited about the story. So if you get a chance drop her a line and thank her too : )**

**Next chapter will be a little baseball and introducing the bad guys that we just love! But its not exactly going to happen how you think!**


	18. Chapter 16

**Okay peeps I know it's the holidays, but it only take a second to tell me whether you liked this chapter or not because it was hard to write! Also, if I get enough reviews I will post another chapter before Christmas…really! Love you guys so much!**

**Listening to Supermassive Black Hole….and trying not to daydream too much!**

**Thanks for those who reviewed and wished me good health…its working! **

**Also a special thanks to transfiguration for the support and suggestions and also turtlestar, who gave me the most awesome of reviews and recommended my story to everyone! THANK YOU!!!! I was going to start on this part earlier but my hubby brought me some Nyquil and that was the end of my day lol.**

**Disclaimer: I own my almost empty box of tissues…nothing else.**

Chapter 16

Edward carried me on his back to the edge of a small cliff. Our height gave us the ability to see over a large field which was dotted with members of the Cullen family. The open area was enormous and surrounded by thick forest on all sides. Edward set me down gently and led me to a soft grassy area to sit on. As I sat, a crack of thunder ripped across the air and made me jump. "Wow, the storm is getting close." Edward laughed, sitting next to me and holding me close to his side. "That wasn't the storm, look down there at Rosalie."

I squinted and saw a figure with long blonde hair. She was holding a metal baseball bat and was taking a few practice swings, then she crouched into batting ready position. I glanced at Edward. "Who's going to pitch?"

He pointed to Alice, who was an impossible distance away rotating her arm for the pitch. Before I could ask Edward anything, Alice's hand whipped out from behind her back and Rosalie swung the bat. The thunder echoed over the field again, and Rosalie began to run almost too fast for my eyes to keep up. The bases were spread out much farther than the standard diamond usually is…they were in competition for football field lengths!

I briefly saw a figure run into the surrounding forest; I assumed they were looking for the invisible baseball. Rosalie had made it to second base before Carlisle emerged from the trees, his hand poised to throw. Alice ran towards third base as his hand released the ball and dove for the plate. Rosalie didn't turn back to second base, but extended her leg to slide into third. They seemed to reach the plate at the same time, and when they hit another crack of thunder rumbled. Esme stood from her position at the catcher's area and gave a signal I couldn't understand. Edward smirked beside of me. "Rosalie's out."

I let out a breath that I didn't realize I had been holding. Baseball had never been so exciting! I was not into sports by any stretch of the imagination, but I think I just became the number one fan for vampire baseball.

I looked to Edward and his grin mirrored my own. I could tell he was excited for this game and I gently nudged him with my shoulder. "Go on…you know you want to join in." He glanced from me to the field and then leaned back. "In a moment. I am enjoying myself right now." He pulled me tighter against him and kissed the top of my head. I didn't know of a time that I ever felt happier.

Emmett came up to bat and we both sat up a little straighter. I knew this was going to be interesting. He bounced around a little, pointing at Alice with the bat and saying something that had her laughter ringing across the field up to us. Edward laughed as well, "Emmett accused Alice of cheating during our last game, and he is determined to beat her this time." I had a feeling he was editing Emmett's words a little for my benefit.

"Alice cheats?"

He shrugged, "We all do."

Huh. That certainly put another spin on the game. A vampire who could see the future and one that could read minds, both of those were very unfair advantages. Edward could tell where my thoughts were going. "Alice and I are not supposed to ever be on the same team."

I had a feeling Carlisle made that rule. It was also a good idea to have Esme officiate the game.

Crazy cheating vampires.

Emmett's taunting seemed to hold water, because his massive hit sent shockwaves through the trees and even from my high viewpoint I could see the metal bat was now almost bent in half. Emmett tossed down the bat and began speeding around the bases. He was nowhere near as fast as Rosalie or Edward, but the distance the ball traveled made up for it. This time it was Jasper who ran into the forest. Emmett ran around the bases and walked onto home plate, bowing to the imaginary crowd. Rosalie gave him a congratulatory kiss and I couldn't help but clap a little in excitement. Emmett swung his head up to our seat on the cliff and waved. "Thanks squirt!" he hollered up at me with a grin. Another second later Jasper came trotting back into the field. He must have found the ball, although I couldn't see it from here. He pointed at Emmett and grinned. I couldn't help but smile as well. I didn't see a smile come from Jasper all that often, but I definitely appreciated the overall transformation it made to his already handsome features.

Everyone moved infield and then the teams switched places. Carlisle brought out a new bat and flipped it around lightly in his hands. He looked up at us and pointed the bat at Edward. I looked at Edward's eager face and laughed. "Go! Get a homerun for me. And don't cheat!"

Edward gave me a confident smirk and kissed me quickly on the lips. He began to walk to the edge of the cliff, but then paused. He turned back to me, lifted me into his arms and moved me back several feet from the edge. "Just in case," he told me then lightly jumped off the edge and ran across the field. I tried to be annoyed at his over-protectiveness, but it was probably for the best that I stay far away from the edge, even if it wasn't _that_ high up.

Alice remained as pitcher and Esme stayed as catcher, but now Rosalie and Emmett were in the outfield while Jasper, Edward and Carlisle were up at bat. Edward took the bat from him and stepped up to the plate. He turned to look back at me and I waved and smiled…bouncing in excitement. All I needed was pompoms and I would be an official cheerleader for team Edward.

Edward turned back to Alice and nodded. The small vampire kicked her leg out and whipped the ball from her hands. Edward's muscles contracted under his movements and the echo of the bat against the ball was deafening. Rosalie dashed into the forest and Emmett ran to wait for her near the bases. Edward began running around the bases, the fastest I have seen yet. I sat enthralled as he blurred from second to third and then finally touched the home plate. I got to my feet and cheered loudly, clapping for him. He looked up at me and even from here I could see the love in his eyes. His grin lit up his entire face and he waved at me happily.

Carlisle took the bat and stepped up to the plate, waiting for Alice. However, Alice wasn't looking at him, she was looking in the direction that Rosalie ran off to, and hadn't returned yet. Emmett was looking in that direction as well, taking a few steps in that direction. I didn't feel overly alarmed until Alice whipped around to look at Edward. Her lips didn't seem to move, but he visibly tensed. The whole family turned their heads towards the forest and I looked with them. Rosalie stepped out from the tree line, her face set into a careful mask. My heart picked up pace when I saw three figures enter the field close behind her.

One was tall and dark, with long hair falling over his vintage clothing. The other male was shorter and not as muscular. He had blonde hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. The female of the group had flaming red hair that flowed wildly around her and had a devious smile on her face. My mind immediately flashed to the story I heard that night on the beach at La Push, and fear clenched at me tightly. None of the Cullens moved except for Emmett and Edward. Emmett ran quickly over to Rosalie and pulled her against him, keeping his gaze fixed on the new-comers. Edward was gone in a flash, and then appeared a second later next to me, pulling me with him behind the cover of a large evergreen. His body was covering mine against the tree, but then he pulled back to pull his coat off and wrap it around me. I managed to peek my head out to try to question him, but he shook his head slightly, warning me to remain quiet. His face was clenched and his eyes were intense, focused on the field. I leaned around the tree as best as I could and watched the scene below us.

Edward's actions confirmed my suspicions that the visitors were not human. They now stood face-to-face with my vampires, but in a non-threatening way. I couldn't hear what was being said, but I could tell Carlisle was speaking to them by the way his hands were moving. Emmett's grip around Rosalie seemed to relax and Alice just kept on smiling, as usual.

The dark vampire held up his hand and I could barely make out the baseball he held. He smiled at something Carlisle said and then the group broke up again. I watched as the teams set up to play another round of baseball. I relaxed a little, they couldn't be too bad if they were all playing together. I tried to turn to question Edward again when I felt him lean down next to my ear. Normally I would love to have his lips pressed to my ear, but this time it was not in seduction, it was to keep his voice as quiet as possible. "Not vegetarians," he whispered. I tensed up again and turned to meet his eyes. He looked from me to his family, and then scooped me up in his arms.

He ran for a long while, longer than it took to get out to the field. I thought he was taking us back to the trailhead, but when he stopped we were back at our campsite. He set me down and began moving to collect the various items strewn about the site. "We are packing up and leaving."

I shook my head, "No."

Edward stopped what he was doing and looked at me with his eyebrows raised. "Bella, those were the visitors I was talking about…the ones who killed that photographer outside of town. I am going to get you far away from them."

I folded my arms across my chest. "We are not going anywhere until we make sure everyone else is okay."

Edward was over to me in a flash and grabbed my arms. His grip was firm, but not enough to hurt me. His eyes looked pained. "Please Bella, don't make this harder on me. I have to make sure you are safe. You are my first priority."

I leaned up on my toes to push my lips against his. He was unresponsive to my kiss, but his eyes slid closed and I knew I had some effect on him. "Edward, I will not be okay until I know that everyone else is safe. You can read their minds too, right?" He nodded reluctantly, his eyes still closed. "So, you will know if they get close. Edward…what if something happens to your family because you are here with me? I couldn't stand to lose you and it would kill me just as much to lose any of them."

Edward opened his eyes, and I could see the indecision in them. I gave him my most serious look, determined to not let the fear show through. His jaw clenched as he let go of me and walked away, his back facing me. I held my ground, waiting.

Finally, he sighed and turned to me, pointing a finger to emphasize his words. "The moment a single thought of theirs even hints at the corner of my mind, we are gone. No questions, no arguments."

I nodded, relieved for the moment. He came back to me and wrapped my into his embrace, his coat falling from my shoulders. I could barely breath but I wasn't about to complain; I needed this as much as he did. His voice trembled slightly when he spoke against my hair. "If anything happened to you….I would cease to exist. There would be no reason for me to inhabit this world anymore."

I tried to protest. "Edward, things happen that you can't control. If I were to…die…"

"I would find a way to follow you."

I pulled back and smiled at him. "So you believe in an after-life, but you don't think you have a soul?"

His lips turned up slightly, not a full smile but I would take what I could get. "You aren't going to give up, are you?" I shook my head, "Not for all of eternity."

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Twilight was upon us and the trees around us darkened quickly. Edward had built a fire and I was huddled next to it, trying not to shiver from both the cold and my anxiety. It felt like a lifetime since we left the clearing, and Edward and I had yet to relax. I wrapped my arms around my knees and rested my head on them, watching Edward. He stood silently at the edge of the campsite, as immobile as a statue. He hadn't moved from that position in quiet a while, and I hadn't disturbed him. I knew he was listening closely for his family, or for any threats.

The fire had started to die down and I unfolded myself to reach for another log to place on it. Edward sensed my movement and turned to me. Seeing what I was trying to do, he came over and took the wood from my hands, placing them on the flames. I started to sit back again when I lost my balance. Edward swiftly grabbed me and protected my outstretched hand from the flames by covering it with one if his own. I heard him hiss in pain as he pulled me back and sat me down a safe distance from the fire. I looked at him concerned, "Are you alright?"

He smiled and nodded, but glanced down at his hand. I gasped when I saw the angry burn on his knuckles. "Edward! Your hand! I am so sorry…" I jumped up and stumbled over to my pack, grabbing my first aid kit and bottle of water. I moved back to Edward who was watching me with an amused look on his face. I sat down and grabbed his hand carefully, "It's not funny! This is a nasty burn and it's my fault…wait a minute," I stopped and looked at his face, "Aren't vampires indestructible?"

He let me wash his burn gently with water, not even flinching. "Fire is the one way to make sure we are destroyed. It's the only thing that can really hurt us, but we heal very quickly." He protested when I took out some burn ointment and gauze but I gave him my sternest look, "You take care of me all the time, let me take care of you for once."

He gave me another amused smile and held out his hand. I looked down and saw that his burn already looked like it was healing, and the first aid was probably not necessary. I ignored him and put the ointment on anyways and wrapping it gently with the gauze. When I was done I brought my lips to the bandage for a soft kiss, keeping my eyes on his the entire time. His gaze darkened and his lips parted slightly. He gathered me close in his arms and I sighed as he brushed his lips across mine, teasing me. The fire crackled gently and cast a soft glow around us, and I was kissing Edward like I wanted to since that first night in the forest. His lips broke from mine to travel to my eyelids, my brow, my cheeks and then settling on the sensitive skin below my ear. I gripped his shoulders tightly and moaned quietly in response. I felt Edward growl against me and then pull away from me quickly, scanning the forest behind him. My lust-induced haze vanished and I became instantly alert. Edward released me and moved into a defensive crouch, shielding me with his body. My heart thudded painfully against my ribs while I was waiting for him to say something.

His head dropped and he stood upright, turning to me with a small smile as he helped me to my feet. "Its alright, it's the family."

A moment later Alice came skipping through the trees. I couldn't help myself, I ran over and launched myself at the pixie-like vampire. She laughed at my display and returned my embrace. "Silly Bella! What's got you so worked up?"

I was yanked out of her embrace by Emmett, who swung me around before crushing me to his massive chest. "She missed us! I think she likes us!"

Before I could tell Emmett he was squishing me, Edward pulled me from his embrace. "Emmett! How many times do I have to remind you not to damage her?"

I laughed at Emmett's sullen look and gave him a pat on the arm. "Don't sweat it big guy, I really do like you all and I am glad to see you are safe."

Rosalie, Esme and Carlisle moved around us and I gave a hug to all of them…well…except for Rosalie. I simply nodded at her and gave her a small smile. Surprisingly, she returned both the nod and the smile.

Emmett's voice made me look back at him. "What's all this about?" He was holding up Edward's hand, pointing at his bandage with a smirk. Edward smiled at me. "I burned myself and Bella insisted on patching me up." I turned red as Emmett's laughter boomed around us and he ripped off the bandage, showing me Edward's perfect hand, no more burn marks on it. I huffed and moved over to the fire, taking my seat again. Edward sat next to me and the rest of the family moved to surround the bright flames as well. "I appreciate all the wonderful care you gave me, sweetheart." His voice was sincere. "It healed much faster thanks to you." I looked at him doubtfully, but appreciative that he was trying to make me feel better.

I turned to Alice. "So what happened after we left?"

Each of them took turns describing the events that took place. Emmett took great pleasure in informing me that the Cullen family dominated the game. Carlisle told me that the visitor's were only curious about them and that they were warned not to hunt in the area anymore. I looked back at Alice, "I thought you saw them leaving the area earlier this week." She gave me a grimace. "My visions are based on events after a decision has been made. They had decided to leave the area, but after catching our scent and hearing the sounds of us playing baseball they turned back. I couldn't see what they were doing until they had already decided to meet us." She glanced at Edward. "It would have been nice to know what they were thinking."

"That wasn't an option." He said darkly.

Carlisle spoke next. "Alice has seen that they are still in the area, but fluctuating on what their next move will be."

The small vampire nodded. "In some visions they decide to leave immediately, but there is one in their group that keeps holding them up."

"James is a tracker, Bella." Jasper explained to me. "While he didn't pick up your trail directly, he caught a lingering scent from Edward's presence on the field. It doesn't take much since your scent is so…enticing." He gave me an apologetic look, and I tried to smile in reassurance.

"That's why it took a while for you and I to get back here," Edward explained to me. My mind clicked on what he was referring to. "You took a long route back to try to keep them off my scent." Edward nodded. "So do we leave now or wait?"

Esme spoke then, her voice soothing me. "There is no need for alarm right now. We will stay and enjoy the evening and when we are sure it is safe, we will leave the forest."

I wasn't sure how I felt about that plan, but Emmett's laugh put everyone at ease. "Yeah, as if we couldn't take them out anytime we wanted!" He and Jasper bumped knuckles while Alice and Rosalie just rolled their eyes and smiled. Even Edward seemed more relaxed. I smiled at my new family and snuggled against the love of my life, taking Esme's advice and enjoying the night.

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Edward stayed in the tent with me again, but the rest of family stayed where they were by the campfire. Every now and then I would hear laughter from someone, mostly Emmett, but other than that the only other sound was the beating of my heart and the sound of Edward's breath as it brushed across my ear. I buried my nose in his chest and drifted to sleep, knowing that I was safe in the presence of seven vegetarian vampires.

The next morning I jerked awake from a dream. It was a replay of the events from yesterday, some good and some terrifying. My eyes opened to see Edward staring down at me, a soft smile on his lips. "Good morning, love." He whispered huskily. I felt my heart trip and smiled back at him. There was a hint of amusement in his eyes and I groaned. "I talked again last night?" His smile turned into a wide grin. "Oh yeah…quite a bit." I buried my face back into his chest as he chuckled. I knew that he wasn't the only one that heard me last night.

When we exited the tent there was a thick mist in the air, a big indication of rain later in the day. All the Cullens were in the same positions as they were when I left them last night…and they were all grinning at me. I burned red but trudged through my embarrassment, getting my food sack out and preparing a small breakfast.

"So squirt, how has the trip been so far? Do you feel like you are doing better than your last one?" Emmett grinned at me while I ate. I swallowed my oatmeal and smiled gratefully at him. "Yes! This trip is so much better than the last one. You did a great job teaching me and I am able to enjoy everything much more now."

Emmett puffed out his chest and looked smugly at the whole group, who just rolled their eyes at him. I laughed as Rosalie tickled his ribs and he flinched, swatting her hands away.

After I was done eating everyone helped pack up camp. Edward looked at me, "Did you want to finish the trail or just head back home?" I looked at his expression carefully, but it was clear of any emotions. I sighed, "Do you want to get back to the trailhead as soon as possible?" He regarded me for a moment, "It would make me feel better to have you safe, but it's your trip and if you want to finish it I will be patient."

As much as I wanted to finish the trail, I knew I was pushing his emotions by staying out in the forest any longer. I gave him a smile and handed Emmett my pack. "Can you carry that for me please?" When I looked back at Edward I touched his cheek. "You were patient enough letting me stay until your family came back, so I will leave with you now. We can come back some other time." Edward gave me a relieved look and kissed my fingers before swinging me up on his back. The rest of the family had already left without a sound, so I just held on to my angel as he flew after them.

**It felt kind of weird to end it like that, but I didn't want to start on a whole new section just yet. I hope the baseball scene was cool. It was super hard to write! Even when SM wrote it I had a hard time picturing it completely, but the movie sure helped! It's hard to put something that extraordinary into words.**

**Just in case my internet goes down permanently (THANKS A LOT CABLE COMPANY! ARRRRGH!) I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! All you authors working on stories out there, all I want for Christmas is UPDATES! : ) I am an impatient reader as well. (My birthday is on Christmas…can I get a double update from all my favorites? Teehee!)**


	19. Chapter 17

**How about this for a surprise in your stocking! : ) Merry Christmas!**

**Okay this kind of a fluffy-filler chapter but I think you will like it. It was obviously inspired by my own cold and instead of feeling too sorry for myself I daydreamed about Edward coming to my window to take care of me….ahh yes!**

**Disclaimer: I own a kitchen full of holiday food…and a stuffy nose. But not Twilight. Happy Birthday Stephenie Meyer (Hey, we have our birthday's one day apart!)**

Chapter 17

Life in Forks seemed to be back to normal, well, as normal as Forks can be anyways. There were no more reports of missing people in the area but that didn't keep my immortal guardians from keeping a pretty close watch over me. There were a few snow showers mixed in with the driving rain and I glared at every single flake that floated down from the sky. It was way too early for snow in my opinion.

It was also my birthday…another reason to grumble and complain. That morning I woke up and stared at the mirror, wondering if I looked eighteen years old yet, or could I still pass for seventeen. The only thing that showed as huge difference was my beet-red nose and dark circles under my eyes. Yes, it was my birthday and I was sick.

I groaned and trudged back to bed, nearly tripping on the pile of tissues piled on my floor. There were two things I was grateful for: Edward had been gone all night hunting…no need to show him the disgusting side of Bella….and also it was a Saturday. I didn't think I could handle a cold, an unwanted birthday and school all at the same time.

As I lay back on my tussled bed, dreaming of Nyquil, I heard a hesitant knock on the door. Charlie peeked his head in, "Hey Bells, you feeling any better?"

Last night at dinner he noticed me picking at my food…then the sneezing began shortly afterwards. Charlie took in the room full of used tissues and my bedraggled appearance. "Oh, okay I guess not. You need anything before I head out, kid?" He was dressed for work, and I remembered how he talked about switching shifts with someone else. "No Dad, I'm just going to take it easy for the day."

Charlie stood awkwardly at the doorway for a moment, then walked over to the bed, placing a small wrapped package next to me. "Well, Happy Birthday." He had a blush on his face and shrugged. "I had planned on being home for dinner, making something special for you." I chuckled lightly, ending it on a cough. "Dad, you were going to make dinner? I thought you loved me?" He laughed with me and ruffled my already mussed hair. "We'll go out to eat when you are feeling better, wherever you want."

I tried to look as enthused as possible as I tore open the plain wrapping paper. I was genuinely surprised to see a small silver cell phone wrapped inside. "Dad, this is…..I can't believe you did this!" I gave him a large smile and he flushed under my praise. "The rest of the gadgets that came with it are downstairs on the table. Just do me a favor and don't start acting like all the other girls your age with their phones attached to their head all the time. And no talking while driving."

I gave a light chuckle. "I won't. Thanks for everything, Dad. You didn't have to get me a present." He shuffled to the door, "No problem Bells. I am glad you came to live with me." With those words he dashed down the stairs and out the door. My father was about as comfortable as I was dealing with sentimental emotions. I rolled over on the bed, pulling the covers tighter around me to fight off the chills and fell asleep before I could try out my gift. Although the one person I wanted to call the most was beyond the reach of any cell phone.

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The coolness on my forehead was amazing. I automatically reached up to hold it against my burning skin. "Bella? Are you awake?" I groaned and creaked open one eye. Alice was leaning over the bed with a wince on her face. "You look like hell."

I slowly sat up, grabbing for another handful of tissues. "Thanks Alice." I glanced at the clock, noting I only slept for about half an hour. I felt like I was going to pass out any moment. I looked over at the dark-haired beauty, who was eyeing the room with mild disgust. I couldn't blame her, I was a little grossed out too. "What are you doing here?" It was the first time Alice had been in my room.

She hesitantly sat on the edge of the bed, a white box in her hands. "Well, I was originally going to surprise you with an _outstanding_ party tonight." I started to protest but she cut me off, "But I saw that the guest of honor would be in no condition to enjoy her own birthday, so I brought you something instead."

I eyed the box she placed on my blanket-covered lap. My throat burned but I managed to swallow painfully before speaking. "Alice, I am not big on birthdays. I don't really like presents either…"

"Bella, trust me. _This_ you will definitely appreciate. Open it!"

I reluctantly pulled back the top and almost cried at what lay inside. "Alice, I take back everything. You are the best vampire _ever_!"

Inside the box was practically the entire cold/flu aisle from the drugstore. There was daytime medication, Nyquil (oh I love that pixie), tissues, cough drops, and numerous other items that I knew would be used before the day was over. I felt tears well up in my eyes. Alice watched me become emotional, horrified. I set the box aside, "I'm sorry…I am just really happy you came! I would hug you if I wasn't so gross." Alice laughed at my silly human emotions. "Well that's another reason I am here! Edward will be back from hunting soon. He was supposed to stay away until the party tonight, to help with the surprise, but as soon as he finds out you are sick he will rush over here."

I closed my eyes and groaned. "He can't see me like this!" I started coughing uncontrollably again. Alice eyed me warily. "Bella, I talked to Carlisle and he said you will be much more comfortable after taking the medicine, but maybe I should have him come by…"

"No, thanks. I just need to get cleaned up and take some cough medicine and I will be good as new." Okay, that may be stretching the truth a little, but I did not want anyone else hovering over me.

Alice helped me to the bathroom and into the shower and I was too tired to feel embarrassed. She told me to stay in the shower and breathe in the steam for as long as possible. I had to admit, the steam did help me breathe a little better. Unfortunately the effect wore off as soon as I stepped out of the bathroom. I stood in my room, wrapped in a towel and looking around at my now-clean domain. "Alice, you didn't have to clean up after me." My new best friend just grinned. "You remember this the next time I want to go shopping."

She helped me get dressed in my warm, blue plaid flannel pajamas, much to her protest. I was not overly concerned about anything but comfort right now. I sat half-asleep as she dried my hair and brushed it until it shined. She looked at me face and winced again. I could tell what she was thinking. "Alice, I am sick…I am not wearing makeup." I hated to break the pixie's heart, but I had to draw the line somewhere. By the time she was done cleaning me up the Nyquil had kicked in and I was asleep before my head hit the pillows. I hope my mumbled "thank you" reached her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I felt a shiver run through my body and I tried to burrow underneath the covers. At the same time I wanted to throw the covers off of me. How can I be burning up and freezing at the same time? I rolled over on my side with a moan and then heard my name being whispered gently. "Bella? Oh my poor Bella."

I opened my heavy eyes to see Edward crouched next to my bed. He took my hand into his and kissed my knuckles. I tried to smile but I don't think it came out right. He winced and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his hand sliding to my forehead. I closed my eyes on the soothing sensation of his cool skin. "You are burning up."

"Don't I always feel warm?" I croaked, and then turned my head to cough in my pillow. His hand moved to the side of my neck, holding his fingers against my pulse. "Yes, but this is different. Do you have a thermometer?"

I motioned towards my bedside table and the box Alice left. "There may be one in my box of miracles."

Edward smirked and reached for the box, "Alice does come in handy every now and then." He found a small digital thermometer and turned it on before popping in under my tongue. I looked over his face as he did the same to me. His eyes were a dazzling golden color again and there were no more heavy circles under them. He looked healthy, amazing…perfect. It made me even more painfully aware of my appearance. Despite Alice's help, I knew I was a pitiful site.

The thermometer beeped and Edward read it. "One-oh-one point eight." I wasn't surprised at that. I figured as bad as I felt there had to be some sort of brain-baking going on. Edward looked back over me, tracing the dark circles under my eyes. "What can I do?" His face was full of concern and his voice edged with emotion. I tried swallowing, but winced in discomfort. My throat was dry from breathing through my mouth and it just made the fire in it worse. "I could really use something to drink."

"Anything. Just tell me and it's yours."

I almost laughed at the desperation in his voice. Give him a bear or hostile vampire visitors and he is Mr. Tough Guy, but give him a human cold and he was helpless. I thought about his request. "If there is any ginger ale in the house that would be great, if not then ice water will be fine."

He leaned forward to kiss me on the forehead and I couldn't help the moan that slipped out again. He pulled back suddenly, "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

I shook my head, "No, your lips are cool. It feels nice."

Another second later, he was gone. I tried to keep my eyes open and wait for him, but I lost that battle. When I opened them again, Edward was placing a glass on the side table, along with a bowl of some sort of soup. "How long was I out?" I asked groggily, moving to a sitting position. Edward's arms closed around me and assisted me, propping me up against a mountain of pillows. I looked at him in question. I was sure I didn't have this many pillows before I dozed off. Edward sat on the edge of my bed and smiled sheepishly at me. "I was only gone for a short while. There was not a whole lot in your kitchen that I felt would be good for you to consume right now." He held out a glass of bubbly liquid. "Ginger ale. There is also Gator-aid and some warm tea." I sat with my brow lifted in surprise. He handed me some fever-reducing cold medicine and I swallowed it gratefully with my ice-cold ginger ale. The relief was instantaneous. I was blown away thinking about Edward rushing all over town to get what I wanted and then some I didn't even realize I wanted. Pillows, soup, drinks…my love just kept growing for him, if that was even possible.

Edward took the glass from me and handed me the steaming bowl of soup. I recognized it immediately. "Loaded potato?" He smiled at my surprised delight. "I picked some up at the Lodge. You mentioned it was your favorite and I assumed you haven't eaten anything today."

I brought a spoonful to my mouth and moaned in pure delight. Since I couldn't breathe through my nose there was very little of the soup I could actually taste, but the heat of the thick broth soothed my aching throat and warmed me from the inside out. I looked at Edward. "You are a god among men." He tried to shrug off my compliment. "No, seriously. Thank you, Edward. You are the best thing that was ever created. Just don't tell Alice I said that, because after today she may think she is the winner of that award."

Edward leaned to kiss the top of my head and I was again grateful for Alice making me get cleaned up. "I hate to see you unwell. If I could be sick for you, I would take it in a heartbeat." I dropped my spoon to reach for his face, gently cupping his cheek. "I love you Edward Cullen. Thank you for being in my life." I wanted nothing more than to kiss him in that moment, but my body had other plans. I turned away from him and sneezed and Edward simultaneously held my soup bowl steady and handed me tissues. I thanked him and tried not to be embarrassed about blowing my nose in front of such a perfect creature. "When I am feeling better, I am going to show you just how much I appreciate you."

Edward smiled brightly, "I am going to hold you to that."

I ate a few more bites but had to stop, despite Edward's protests. The medication was flowing through my system and I felt utterly exhausted just from sitting up and eating. Edward told me he would get me more soup anytime I wanted it, no matter what time it was. I wasn't going to ask how he would accomplish that feat in the middle of the night. I was surprised to see that it was late afternoon, the sun creeping back below the tree line. It felt like this day was never going to end.

Edward moved to lay behind me, curling me up in his arms. He tucked the blankets tight around me and then placed a cool palm on my forehead. I sighed and felt my aching muscles relax. He kissed the side of my neck and whispered, "Happy Birthday, my love." I felt his hand move and looked down to see a small blue device in his hand, a ribbon tied around it. I recognized it as one of the more popular model of mp3 players. I turned to frown at my vampire boyfriend. "Edward, did Alice not tell you I don't like presents?" He chuckled and kissed me before putting the device in my hand. "Yes she did. I went over a list of all the things I wanted to give you and she rejected all of them. She said that every gift I chose would make you angry." He rubbed a hand soothingly over my arm. "Why won't you let me give you everything I can?" I rolled over to face him. "I already have everything I could want…you. And if I am with you forever then what else could I need?"

I saw something flash through his eyes. I knew he would never be happy about my decision to put my soul at risk, but I wasn't going to back down. "When?" I asked quietly. He sighed. "There is a lot of planning that has to be done first Bella. You won't be able to be around humans for a long time…the thirst is too great. We will need to leave Forks. You will have to say goodbye to your family and friends. They need to think that you are never coming back. Do you understand what I am saying?"

I pursed my lips and nodded slowly. "They need to think I am dead."

"If they think you just ran away, they would never stop looking for you. They need some sort of closure. Trust me, it's better than not knowing."

I knew this was the only option. I couldn't tell anyone the truth about why I was leaving. It was too great of a risk to the Cullens and to my family. I knew it would devastate both of my parents, but putting it off would not make it any easier for them, and I was getting older every day.

"You don't want to have children?"

I could tell by his voice that this was his ace in the hole. "Sorry Edward, but I spent too much of my life being a care-giver to my mother. The thought of having children terrifies me and I had decided long ago not to be a mother."

He couldn't argue with me on that point, that was one decision I was clear on, whether I became immortal or not.

"How about after graduation? I am supposed to go to college anyways. There could be an…accident." It felt surreal to be talking about my death and I could feel Edward tense as we talked about it. "That would probably be best," he reluctantly agreed.

I snuggled into him. "I can't wait to spend eternity with you."

"Bella," Edward seemed to be hesitant about his next words, "Do you mean that? Do you want to spend the rest of existence with me?" I jerked up to look at him in surprise. "Of course I do!" He tucked a finger under my chin and looked deep into my eyes. "With only me?" I traced my fingers over the chiseled line of his jaw. "Only you, Edward…forever," I whispered.

He cupped my face with both of his strong hands. "As my wife?"

I blinked…stunned is not quite how I felt. I had concentrated so much on the fantasy, on the idea of never aging and always being in the arms of the person who completed my heart. The idea of a very human institution such as marriage floored me. The only experience I had with marriage was with my long-divorced parents. I had myself sold on the idea of never getting married for almost as long as I could remember. But that was before I met Edward. So many things were possible in his world, my outlook on life had totally changed the day he walked into my life. If I was going to live forever, he was what I wanted to live for.

"Yes." That one whispered word made my stoic angel come apart before me. His eyes filled with tears that I knew would never fall and his smile stretched across his face, brightening my dark room. He let out a strangled breath and closed his eyes for a moment. I felt my own eyes fill and my tears were able to spill over. His golden orbs followed their path before he leaned in, kissing them away. His mouth moved over my face before settling on my lips. Mindful of my difficult breathing, he kept the kiss short and sweet, but I still felt his love pour into me.

There were so many things I wanted to tell him. I wished he could read my mind just for a moment, so he could understand the depth of my emotions for him. I knew with absolute certainty that he loved me unconditionally as well. Not only had he agreed to change me, but he wanted to be my husband until the end of time. There was no longer any doubt of his feelings towards me.

Edward kissed me one last time and then handed me a tissue. I turned from him to blow my nose and felt suddenly exhausted. He pulled me back against him and placed a hand on my head again. "I have another present for you."

"Edward, the mp3 player is too much already," I protested. He took the device and unfurled the ear buds. "This present is on the mp3 player."

Curiosity won, and I placed the buds in my ear. Edward pushed some buttons on the player and a soft melody filled my head. The piano music echoed of a song I heard before, and I turned back to him. "You hummed this to me before, in the woods." He nodded, "You are the one who inspired it." I felt my face fill with shock. "You wrote this? This is your music?" He smiled at me. "No, it's _your_ music. I call it 'Bella's Lullaby'." The music flowed over me, it was beautiful and sweet as well as powerfully emotional. I wiped the tears that flowed from my eyes and wrapped my arms around him as the music came to an end. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

He held me close, his voice muffled as he buried his face in my hair. "As I said, it was inspired by you." He pulled the blankets around us once more. "Get some rest, I will stay until Charlie comes home. I won't go far." I listened to the music of his voice and the music flowing from the mp3 player. The piano pieces were Edward's, I was sure of it. I fell asleep again, this time with a smile on my face, knowing this was the best birthday of my life because of Edward. I silently thanked the heavens for sending this angel down to me.

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An annoying beeping sound brought me out of my cold-coma. I laid on my bed staring at the dark ceiling, trying to figure out what the noise could be. When it wouldn't stop I groaned and rolled over in the direction it was coming from. A blinking light made me focus on the bedside table and I realized it was my cell phone that was beeping….and vibrating...and flashing. With a huff of annoyance I grabbed the device and flipped it open. My blurry eyes focused on my first text message: _"Happy Birthday, Bella. You are the love of __beyond__-my-life. I will see you in a moment. Edward."_

I felt my heart swell, too consumed by my love for Edward to really care how he knew I now had a cell phone, let alone what the number was. Come to think of it, I didn't even know what my phone number was.

I heard the banging of pots from down in kitchen along with the dull hum of the television. Charlie was home. I glanced at the window, worried that Edward would show too early and risk getting caught sneaking in. A knock on the front door had me focusing on the sounds coming from downstairs again. Charlie apparently turned off the television to answer it and I was glad that my bedroom door was open so I could hear who was visiting without actually having to show my face.

A musical voice reached my ears from downstairs. I nearly passed out when I bolted up in my bed, struggling to my feet as I lurched for the open doorway. I fell to my knees and could only stay in that position, my heart thudding and sweat popping out on my brow. This couldn't be happening…

"Hello Chief Swan. My name is Edward Cullen. I am Bella's boyfriend."

**See? Not always nice…gotta have a little naughty in there too!**

**OOOOOOOkay you know I had to throw in Bella's Lullaby in there somewhere. It's too important to leave out! Of course if you read my other story then you know which version of the Lullaby I prefer. I also am not making Edward as reluctant to change Bella, so I am not going to make Bella as reluctant to marry Edward. That's just how I roll. I am not going to rewrite New Moon because it was friggen perfect the way it was and there is no way I can capture that same emotion. I have to admit it was my second favorite book after Twilight. But just so we are clear…TEAM EDWARD baby!**


	20. Chapter 18

**Awww thanks so much to those who wished me a Happy Birthday and Happy Holidays! I have had several wonderful reviews for the latest chapter, including two I wish I could reply to personally: Kelly and Ardy. You guys rock!**

**Some questions popped up that I think I should answer…because they are **_**really**_** good questions! First, the time period. I realize that I am moving things on kind of fast, but that's just the way the story is popping out. The timeline goes that Bella came back to Forks at the end of the summer, like say…the beginning of August/end of July. School started say the beginning of August (because when I was in school that's when it started usually) and now we are up to Bella's birthday Sept. 13****th****. **

**So basically she met Edward over a month ago, and I am not going to do a whole lot of them hesitating like in the book, so that's one reason why the story is moving along quickly. They were meant to be! So why should they have to go through a 'normal' human courtship time period, right?**

**Another thing I should point out…Edward has not technically proposed to Bella…yet. He asked her about becoming his wife this past chapter as kind of a "feeler" to see how she feels about him…especially since he is unable to read her mind. So it's not like they are engaged after only knowing each other for a month, they are just putting it out on the table that they care a lot about each other and there is no one else for them. Make sense? I hope so cause things aren't going to change! Ha!**

**On a personal note, I have the best parents on the planet!!!! I got the entire Twilight Series on CD for my birthday. That's DAYS worth of Twilight listening pleasure! It makes the drive to visit family much more tolerable when I can focus on my favorite books! Also, my wonderful husband suggested we go see Twilight tonight….which I am all for! I think I have seen it enough times that if he asks a lot of questions I won't mind answering them.**

**Disclaimer: No own-ey. But as another fanfiction author put it I think Twilight owns ME.**

Chapter 18

I couldn't hear Charlie's reply…so that either meant he was adjusting fairly well to the idea of a random guy coming to the door claiming to be my boyfriend or he was having some sort of silent fit. I suddenly became very worried about his heart and made a mental note to start cutting back on the red meat for dinner.

I, on the other hand, was not taking this surprise very well and found myself rooted to the floor on my hands and knees where I fell. I held my breath and tried to listen for any other conversation above the pounding of my heart. Indecision and cowardice kept me from running down the stairs. I wanted to go and stop any further disaster, like my father loading his gun, but I didn't think I was ready to see the look on Charlie's face just yet.

However, it looks like the decision was being taken out of my hands. I heard the heavy footsteps of Charlie making his way up the stairs and managed to push myself back on my heels as he moved into the doorway. "Bella? Are you okay?" He reached down and grabbed my elbow, supporting me as I stood up and shakily made my way to the bed. "I'm fine Dad. I just tripped trying to get up from the bed." I stared at his face, looking for traces of anger or suspicion, but mostly he looked confused.

"Uh, listen Bells. There is a young man here claiming to be your….boyfriend." His face flushed as bright as mine did at the word. This was beyond awkward.

When my eyes shifted guiltily from his, he must have taken that as a sign of acknowledgment. "So, you want me to …send him away or…"

I shook my head. "No, that's okay. Edward _is_ my boyfriend and I would like it if he could visit for a while." I looked apologetically at my father. "I'm sorry I haven't told you about him yet Dad, we met before the school year started and I didn't know…"

Now it was Charlie's turn to interrupt me. "Don't worry about it. You can talk to me about…whatever. But we both know that you and I aren't the most…verbose people in the world. Just keep me in the loop." I sighed in relief as he moved towards the hall. He paused and turned back one last time. "I'll send him on up. Keep the visit short, you need your rest." I knew he was trying his best at being concerned for my health, but it was obvious how he felt about a 'teenage' boy being in my bedroom. It was a Herculean feat to keep my face from looking guilty. "I'll be right downstairs if you need anything," he warned, then finally moved down the hall.

A short moment later Edward replaced him in the doorway, smiling at me sheepishly. He held another container of soup in one hand and a small bouquet of flowers in the other. I tried to give him my angriest stare. "Edward! How could you do that! You didn't warn me and I didn't even tell Charlie that you were part of my life in any way or…" A coughing fit cut my rant off before he had a chance to cut me off himself. He set the flowers and soup down on my nightstand and handed me my now luke-warm ginger ale. I gulped gratefully and calmed my breathing down when I drank my fill. Edward was busy moving my legs back onto the bed and fluffing the pillows behind me. He reached up with a cold hand and felt my forehead, concern all over his face. My anger ebbed away as his gentle touch calmed me. I almost asked him if Jasper was nearby, but I knew that my reaction was pure Edward Cullen.

"Your fever doesn't seem any worse. How are you feeling?" Despite all the anxiety I was experiencing, I couldn't help the bark of laughter that left my lips. "Edward, you just left me a half-hour ago. I haven't changed much since then."

Aware of Charlie's presence nearby, Edward didn't join me on the bed as usual, but pulled the rocking chair up next to my bed and held my hand as he sat in it. He kissed my fingers gently before launching into his explanation. "I knew you were nervous about Charlie's reaction to us being a couple, but I could tell he was in a very…agreeable state of mind when he came home. I am sorry if I upset you, but I thought maybe it would be helpful if I took the brunt of any reaction he may have to the news."

I thought about his reasoning and it became difficult to remain irritated with him. I had a feeling he was holding back that he was obviously eager to introduce himself to Charlie as my boyfriend, but I needed to be honest with myself. I felt a lot better now that my father knew, and if it was up to me to tell him I don't think I would have ever gotten the courage to do it. Renee I could tell with no problem, but my father was another story. Edward had the best intentions, and things really did work out okay. I squeezed his hand gently. "It's alright. I'm not angry. I am actually really glad he knows. Did he take it okay when you told him?"

Edward chuckled. "I definitely caught him by surprise, and I will admit that he glanced at his gun a time or two, but he mostly looked disbelieving. I am guessing you haven't had to introduce him to a lot of boys growing up?"

I shook my head, "There has been no one until you." He seemed to like that very much. He smiled and leaned towards me with a delighted look on his face. I started to close my eyes and meet him for my expected kiss, but he stopped and turned his head towards to the doorway. "Charlie thinks its time I made my way home. I am thinking we shouldn't push him too much tonight." I sighed in disappointment. "Will I see you tomorrow?" Edward ran his hand over my hair gently. "Silly Bella, I will be back as soon as Charlie is asleep."

I was smiling as he walked back down the stairs, vaguely hearing Charlie's voice as he spoke to Edward and then the front door shutting. I toned down my love-sick expression….leaving me looking just simply sick when Charlie peeked back into my room. "Everything okay?"

I nodded, "You didn't scare him off, did you?"

Charlie managed to laugh at my comment. "Nah, the Cullen kids stay out of trouble and their family seems really nice. You could do a lot worse than Edward." He was speaking the understatement of the century. "Thanks Dad."

Charlie turned away, muttering something about me being eighteen, but still under "his roof". I caught the message, I would have to be on my best behavior with Edward and it would be quite a while before Charlie was comfortable with the idea of his only daughter having a boyfriend. All in all, I was extremely happy with the way my birthday had been. I popped my ear-buds back in and turned my mp3 player on, setting it on repeat as my lullaby followed me into my dreams.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Edward returned that night as promised and saw to my every need until the morning. He kissed me and promised to return later and I wished I felt well enough to go to his house for the day. In a spurt of parental concern, Charlie declared that he was staying home to take care of me instead of going fishing again. I protested vehemently but my father would not be swayed. I slept as much as possible, and pretended to sleep the rest of the time. I loved Charlie, but we both felt extremely uncomfortable at showing concern and affection towards each other. When I was 'awake' I thanked him and tried to express that I appreciated his help, but I secretly wished that he would change his mind and leave the house. I knew Edward was close by, waiting to be with me again.

Finally Charlie retired for the evening, and Edward immediately vaulted through my window. This time he brought me a beautiful crystal vase for my still-vibrant flowers. I tried to look disapproving at the multitude of presents he was pouring on me, but his eager smile made my own lips turn up automatically. So instead, I thanked him with a kiss. He moved his lips to rest on my forehead, lingering for a moment. "Your fever has broken." He sounded thoroughly relieved. "Do you feel better?"

I stroked his cheek reverently and gave him a small smile. "A little. I feel tired even though I hardly left my bed, but I don't feel nearly as bad as yesterday."

"Good," he murmured as he trailed his lips from my temple to my ear. I shivered in response, moving my hands to keep him close to me. Edward moaned lightly and pulled away. He tucked the blanket around me and then lay back down, pulling me close. "We will continue this when you are feeling normal again."

I didn't have the heart to tell him that I haven't felt normal since the day we met.

I didn't need my mp3 player that night. I had Edward, my heaven on earth, singing sweetly in my ear while I dropped back into slumber.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On Monday Edward tried to convince me to stay home. I had improved greatly since this weekend, but a look in the mirror confirmed that my pallor still looked very unhealthy. The effort of getting ready for school exhausted me, but I argued with Edward anyways. I didn't think I could take another day in bed. We finally drove to school when I promised to tell him if I felt unwell at school so he could drive me straight home.

The day passed uneventfully, mostly due to Edward's ever-present hovering. I didn't have to lift anything more than a pencil the entire day. At lunch Edward pressed me to eat, offering to "run out" and get a bowl of my favorite soup. I don't think I completely satisfied him with the amount of food I ate, but he didn't drag me back home. For gym class, all it took was one look at me and a glare from my guardian vampire and the gym coach didn't even think about making me participate in class. At the same time I felt thoroughly embarrassed and unbelievably loved.

Tuesday passed almost the same way. I tried to convince Edward that I was feeling better, but Alice advised me to just let him be. He apparently wasn't going to stop worrying about me….ever. I couldn't have asked for anything better than him.

Wednesday night came and the Cullen's invited me over for "dinner". In actuality, Edward wanted to spend the evening with me, but the dinner invitation was a cover for Charlie's sake. At first Edward tried to talk me into inviting Charlie over for a dinner with his family, but Emmett's frantic look reminded me how unpleasant it was for them to consume human food and I convinced him to let the Charlie thing wait.

I laughed a lot that evening. I was sure that it would be one of my fondest memories no matter how long I lived. The entire family was seated in the spacious living room. Emmett was on his feet, animatedly telling a story from decades ago, something involving Jasper running through the forest completely naked. Edward was enthralling to watch. His head was thrown back and his eyes crinkled shut in laughter. His arm was casually flung around my shoulders and he squeezed me to him as he smiled down at me. I wiped the tears of laughter that were trickling down my face, my heart felt alive. I looked around at the people that I now considered my family. I couldn't imagine how Edward could think that they didn't have souls. Even Rosalie seemed relaxed and laughed with us.

Eventually Edward stood and held his hand out for me, a soft smile still planted on his face. I blushed and placed my warm hand into his cold one and we made our way up the stairs. When I stumbled midway up the steps, Edward ignored Emmett's snickers and lifted me into his arms, carrying me the rest of the way to his room.

He set me on his leather couch, moving away to turn on some light music. I watched him move across the room, his skin sparkling faintly in the dim evening glow. I was sure that nothing on this earth was created as beautifully as my Edward. He looked over his shoulder at me, as if he could actually hear what I was thinking. His eyes were intense again, and I recognized that look. I bit my lip and felt my heart skip as he slowly turned his body and walked over to me. His pace was agonizing. I was taking in every detail…from the tip of his perfectly disheveled hair all the way to his designer boots. Everything about him screamed inhuman, and I should have felt fear take over my sense. Instead, I felt desire.

When he finally reached me, he kneeled down in front of me, not touching me yet. He once told me that blue was a beautiful color on me, but it was nothing compared to what his light blue fitted shirt did for him. His snowy skin appeared softer, more surreal against the light color. His dark jeans may have cost more than my truck, but they fitted to him like they were handmade. Every nerve in my body screamed to touch him, but I held back like he did. His eyes stayed on my face, searching for something he could never hear from my thoughts, but I tried desperately to convey through my emotions. Whatever he saw in my eyes must have set something off for him. His eyes widened fractionally and he sucked in a breath.

Edward's hands planted themselves on either side of me on the couch, and I heard the leather squeak under his grip. His mouth came down hard on mine and I moaned in surprised pleasure. I could feel the power of his feelings behind the kiss, and I threw caution to the wind as I returned it full force.

Our lips moved together, always in sync. It was like we were directing our own symphony, our motions timed perfectly to give each other the maximum amount of pleasure. My hands fisted in his hair as his shakily ran up my sides…I tilted my head to deepen the kiss and he gathered me closer in his arms. Give and take.

He had to be the one to pull away…there was no possibly way I would ever have the strength to do it. I gripped his shoulders for support as I sucked in a much needed breath, not realizing how oxygen deprived I had become. Edward seemed as shaken as I was, although it had nothing to due with lack of air. He rubbed my arms slowly and kept his gaze fixed on my swollen lips. "You are devastating, Bella…utterly devastating." His tremulous whisper held all the desire and love that I felt while we kissed and I nearly moaned again. When I bit my lip in restraint he shook his head, then leaned forward to take my bottom lip between his and sucked gently on my swollen flesh. His lips were warmed slightly from our previous activity, but the difference between his lips and mine shot a current through my body. My hands automatically reached for him again.

He suddenly jerked away from me and looked towards the door. I didn't have time to protest as a low growl tore from his chest, setting my nerves on edge. "What is it?"

Edward looked back at me, wide eyed. My heart thumped painfully against my ribs, but this time it was in genuine fear. He gathered me up in his arms and held me tight against him. His grip was almost too much, but I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him as tightly as I could. "Edward…"

"They're here."

I didn't have to ask what he was speaking of. We were out of his room and down the stairs in a fraction of a second. The rest of the family was still in the living room, everyone was on their feet. Carlisle flicked a switch on the wall nearby and the room was thrown into darkness. Emmett and Rosalie were opening closets and pulling out various items to use as weapons, while Jasper and Esme stood next to Alice. They watched her face anxiously as she stood in a trance, and I knew Edward had seen whatever it was she was seeing.

"Alice?" I whispered in a pitifully frightened voice. She seemed to break out of her vision and locked eyes onto me. Her face crumpled slightly and she looked at me with sadness. "Oh Bella…"

Edward looked at her and hissed. His posture became rigid and he squeezed me even tighter. I squeaked in response and I loosened his grip slightly. "No," was all he said in response to whatever she saw, but I didn't need to get any details to understand that whatever it was, it involved me and it didn't look good.

Alice's face became a mask again. "The nomad vampires have returned. They picked up Bella's scent as they were leaving town. James is the leader in all this, the other two are just in it for the sport." I winced at the term.

Emmett came up to me with a surprising grin on his face. "Don't worry squirt, there are more than twice as many of us as there are of them." Despite his brave words, his eyes looked strained as he handed me a metal bat. Edward set me on my feet and I clutched the metal against me. It was almost as cool and hard as Edward's embrace had been. Carlisle stepped up next to Alice. "What do you see happening? How is this going to play out?"

The small dark haired vampire shook her head in frustration. "They aren't focused. They don't have a plan and they keep changing their minds on what to do next. That's why I didn't see what was happening until now." Her voice was hard and I knew that it was difficult for her to not know something this important. Jasper put a reassuring arm around her and I felt a wave of calm determination flow over me. Everyone around me visibly relaxed, but remained alert. Their skin glowed in the dim light and I realized that I was the only one not able to see perfectly in the dark. Edward snatched a dark throw from the arm of the couch and wrapped it around me. He gently led me into a dark corner and had me huddle down and cover myself as much as possible. I sat the bat next to me, knowing that I would not use it. I posed more of a threat to myself with weapons than to anyone else.

When he turned to face away from me I grabbed his hand. "Edward, what if something happens to you….your family? I couldn't stand it…" He didn't smile at me, but his eyes softened. "My family and I will be fine. It's you we are worried about. No matter what happens, stay near us." He bent down to give me a brief, hard kiss and then tucked the dark blanket around me again. I realized that the blanket not only made me blend in better with the shadows, but also masked my scent slightly.

Edward called Alice over and I tried to hear what he told her. When she turned to me and nodded slightly, I came to the conclusion that he was telling her to watch over me. My guardian family surrounded me.

The only sounds that could be heard were my harsh breathing and slamming heartbeat. There was nothing I could do about my heart, but I tried to slow down my breathing. I knew that it was nothing but a distraction at this point. The wait for something to happen was agonizing. I watched as Emmett as he clenched and unclenched his hands. It was almost as menacing as Edward's stony, angry silence.

Carlisle cocked his head, looking first at Esme then at the others. "It sounds like they are separating. We need to keep them out of the house. Alice, the moment you see anything concrete…."

"You'll know," she finished.

The family slowly spread through the room, leaving Alice and Edward with me. They all watched the windows carefully, staring intently out into the night. Alice and Edward stiffened and simultaneously lowered into a defensive crouch. "Here they come." Her voice was quiet, but I knew for them it might as well have been a battle cry.

Glass shattered all around and I covered my head reflexively. Growls and snarls filled the air and there was movement throughout the room. Figures blurred by at incredible speeds. I sat wide-eyed, watching as best I could from my hidden position. Emmett and Rosalie danced around someone…I couldn't see who it was in the darkened room. The figure blurred as it moved around them, then suddenly it whisked away back outside. Emmett immediately took off after it, Rosalie directly behind him. Esme whipped her head in their direction, her once perfect caramel colored hair swirling around her face. "Emmett! Stay here!" Her pleading did not bring back either of them. I could make out the dark skinned vampire as he crouched in front of Carlisle. Ever the pacifist, the good doctor tried one more time to reason with the red-eyed vampire. It fell on deaf ears. He grinned evilly and leaped towards Esme. Carlisle reacted immediately and threw him against the wall. Jasper dashed over to help Carlisle restrain him. Alice turned to Edward, "They have a plan now. They are trying to separate us, using our mates to try to distract us." Edward was nodding before she was finished talking, and I knew that she spoke out loud more for everyone else's benefit than for his.

I didn't see Edward move. One moment he was in front of me, and the next he was across the room. The red haired vampire from my nightmares had her arms around Esme from behind, grasping her head and exposing her neck. Edward leaped onto the woman before she could sink her teeth into Esme's vulnerable flesh. All three of them went down in a tangle of limbs and broken furniture.

I felt my body lock in panic, trying to take in all that was happening in front of me. I knew that all of this happened in a matter of seconds, but it felt like hours. Alice hovered protectively over me and I darted my eyes back and forth, trying to watch everything at once. When Esme tumbled down with Edward and the female vampire, it was all that was needed to distract Carlisle momentarily. A deafening roar shook the house as the dark skinned vampire reared back and flung both Carlisle and Jasper against the wall, breaking their grip. They moved to grab for him again as he dove for me. Alice effectively blocked me from his grasp, but his crimson eyes locked onto my fearful ones. His words made my blood freeze and my heart convulse painfully.

"Your father was a wonderful snack…hope you don't mind we left what remained of him outside." His menacing face broke out into a grin and he laughed even as Carlisle and Jasper pulled him back and restrained him again. Edward glanced up to see his close proximity to me and immediately leaped to join his father and brother in the fight to destroy the evil creature.

I was unable to think. My mind had gone to a place of pure hell. Charlie's face, my father's face, burned before my eyes. In my hell I saw his body, his unseeing eyes glaring at me. I also saw memories of our little time together, and it was the memories that brought me to my knees, sobbing. The thought of my father's body, sitting right outside, in the cold….it left me digging my fingernails into the Cullen's hardwood floor…trying to hold onto the Earth as it cracked open tried to pull me into the darkness. The only thought that came to my mind was that my father was outside, and I had to get to him.

Alice whirled on me, eyes wide and frantic. "Bella, no…" but she was cut off as the red-haired she-devil shrieked. Esme was flung forcefully into Alice, not only knocking them into the wall, but causing the tall bookshelves around them to collapse on them. The woman locked her burning eyes on me and took one step in my direction before Edward tackled her again. I ignored the whole scene.

I ignored the tortuous cries as Carlisle and Jasper began to dismember the dark skinned vampire. I ignored the fact that Esme and Alice still had not pulled themselves from the rubble. I ignored Edward as he tore at the evil woman, bringing screeches of pain from her. I ignored everything, except the broken window in front of me. Before more than a second or two could pass, I stepped out into the cold night, dropping my blanket as I moved to find my father.

The sounds of screams and frantic cries echoed in my awareness. My vision strained against the pressing darkness of night as I scanned the tree line. I saw a figure collapsed among the ferns and my heart shattered into a million pieces. He was facing away from me, so I couldn't yet see the endless stare of his eyes. The visions of my father's dead body from my imagination were enough to shatter my soul, but I knew the actual sight would be what finally killed me.

As I stumbled over to the body, I never dreamed that it would kill me, in the most literal sense.

I sobbed once…both in relief and in horror as the one I knew as James flipped over and grinned at me. His teeth flashed in the moonlight and the skin on his hand glowed as it reached out and closed around my throat, throwing into a whole new kind of hell.

**Okay so I brought on the bad guys. I wasn't planning on doing it but hey, it just felt right. Did it feel right for you too? I am really nervous about this, since its basically the climax of the story. You may have noticed the lack of metal shield thingies around the Cullen house in this story…yep. I changed it. It didn't work with this story so HA! I can do that if I want :P**

**So my hubby actually liked the movie! It would have been great if all these disrespectful people would have been quiet and respectful during the movie. We talked about twilight stuff for the rest of the night! Yay!**

**I'm tired…more later. Show me the love! What are the odds of getting me to 200 reviews with this?**

**Sorry for any errors I missed, I wanted to post it ASAP.**


	21. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I am Twilight obsessed. But I don't own it.**

Chapter19

EPOV

This was what my nightmares were made of.

I haven't been able to dream in almost a century, but every part of my being knew this is what hell was like, and I wish more than anything that I could wake up.

My mind was overcrowded with other's thoughts as well as mine. Carlisle was expressing distaste at the destruction of another creature, and overwhelming concern for Esme who still hasn't moved from the rubble where she was thrown. Her thoughts were of pain and worry about Alice. Part of my mind echoed that concern. Alice's thoughts were unclear, muddled. I have never heard anything like that from her and I knew she had to have been injured in some way. Jasper's mind was purely focused on his task, ever the soldier. He had not let himself worry over Alice yet, he was determined to finish off the intruder first. He and Carlisle had dismembered the one known as Laurent, and they were tossing the mangled pieces out the window, preparing to start the fire to finish the job.

Emmett and Rosalie's thoughts were slowly filtering in as they came closer to the house. They were both angry and frustrated at losing James, but their anger swiftly turned to panic when they heard my painful roar.

I had decapitated the female, Victoria. She had been the last threat in the room and I had poured all my energy into making sure she didn't take another step closer to my Bella.

_Bella_. My heart, my life….my reason for existing. She was so afraid, despite the mask she wore hiding her feelings from everyone else. She couldn't hide them from me. I couldn't read her mind, much to my never-ending frustration, but my beautiful angel was an open book to me when it came to her emotions. I could tell when she was happy, sad or scared. I hadn't seen too much fear from her up until this point. The fact that everything she has been through, everything she knew about our kind hadn't scared her but _these _monsters had…it made a rage release inside of me that I have never felt before.

The evening was so wonderful up until this point. Bella had finally looked like she was feeling well, though still weak and tired. I could never understand why she didn't realize she was so incredibly lovely, but I enjoyed the blush that flowed across her porcelain skin when I frequently reminded her. While we were laughing and telling stories from our past she laughed with us, looking as if she had been there all my life. She just fit.

It seemed impossible that something so beautiful, so wonderful could belong anywhere near a creature like me. I had done nothing to deserve her love, but each time she kissed me, smiled at me or even just looked at me I prayed to every deity that I could think of, thanking them for bringing her to me. But in this moment, I felt like the gods were cursing me, finally showing me that the pure bliss I feel when I am with Bella is just a precursor to the ultimate punishment that I am experiencing now.

I am truly damned.

When I was sure Victoria was no longer a threat I turned to look where Bella was just a moment ago. I knew she was gone before I turned…I felt it the moment she left my presence. It was like part of me was ripped from my body. If I believed in souls, and I wasn't sure at this point, mine left with Bella when she stepped out of the room.

The blanket she had around her was hanging halfway through the broken window. My inhumanly fast movements were not nearly fast enough as I propelled out into the cold night. I quickly scanned the area, not seeing anything. I closed out everything but the physical sounds around me, listening for her heartbeat, the music of my love.

Nothing.

I resisted the urge to fall apart where I stood. I knew that she was at least unconscious if I hadn't heard her screams. But more importantly, I needed to hear her heart beating, to know she was alive and that I hadn't lost my one chance at the closest thing to heaven I will ever reach.

I closed my eyes and breathed in deep through my nose. Thousands of scents assaulted me, but only one caused my dead heart to burn. My Bella's scent was strong and I moved in that direction without a second thought. I didn't go far.

Her scent faded a few hundred feet from the house…not completely but enough to make it nearly impossible to detect. I knew if it had been anyone else the scent would have been completely gone, but my Bella's scent was unique and alluring.

Apparently, not just to me.

I stopped and hesitated, moving through the trees, my panic increasing the longer I went without a trail. I almost sobbed in relief when her scent reappeared on the breeze. I ran further into the thick forest and then groaned in frustration as it all but disappeared again. After a few more minutes of trying to track the ghostly trail, I heard Emmett's thoughts break through my focus.

_Edward, we can hear you in the forest. If you can't lock onto her scent get back here and we will get a plan. We _will _find her._

I didn't want to give up, but moving back and forth through the woods by the house like a blind bloodhound was getting me nowhere. I punched my fist through the trunk of a large oak in frustration, the splinters of the ruined tree falling around me. Within a fraction of a second I was back outside the wrecked house.

Emmett and Rosalie were waiting for me next to the roaring fire. I almost wrinkled my nose at the scent of vampire ash, and I was very much looking forward to adding one more to that pile. Emmett's customary grin was replaced with an angry scowl. Rosalie's face was unreadable as she stared into the flames. Her appearance was shocking, a huge difference from her normally near-perfect visage. Her hair was wildly disheveled with leaves stuck in it and her skin was spotted with dirt. Her clothes were dirty and torn in places and the way she held her shoulder made it obvious she was in some pain. Emmett had his arm around her protectively and a quick glance into his mind showed me what had occurred in their pursuit.

Alice was right, they had used our mates to divide and conquer us. Rosalie had left to protect Emmett while he chased after James, but James had surprised them and attacked Rosalie. I almost winced as I saw Rosalie's arm wrenched from its socket as she was thrown across the forest. She was lucky that it was not torn from her body. Emmett did what I would have done in the same situation, go to his love. By the time they had returned to where they had last seen James, he had gone to capture Bella.

I waved off Emmett as he started to apologize and I stepped inside the house looking for Alice. I was dependent on her to tell me what this bastard's next move was. Carlisle was crouched next to a dazed looking Esme. He looked at me in calm determination. _We will get Bella back, son._

I ignored him and moved to Jasper, who was cradling an unresponsive Alice. Her eyes were open, but she was mumbling incoherently and her thoughts were still unreadable. I caught flashes of memories from the mess in her mind. Victoria had thrown the only weapon that could cause such physical trauma to a vampire, Esme. It wasn't easy to cause contusions to our kind, nearly impossible with inanimate objects. But our flesh was vulnerable to other vampires. When Esme crashed into Alice, Victoria knew what she was doing. I knew why Alice didn't use her power of premonition to move out of the way…she was protecting Bella, who would have surely died if Esme had collided with her fragile body.

Jasper growled protectively when I crouched down next to them. His mind was no longer focused on the enemy, his only thoughts were revolved around protecting his mate. The agony he felt washed over us all and I felt my control slipping. "Jasper!" I snapped at him. His eyes darted from Alice to me, not wanting to lose focus of her for a second. "You need to calm down…NOW!" I knew better than to move any closer to him, but somehow my angry voice pierced into his consciousness, and I felt his emotions pull back and his control tighten. I glanced over to my adopted parents. "Carlisle, I need Alice to tell me how to find Bella." My voice broke on her name, and Esme's thoughts became flooded with guilt and pity, along with fear for Bella. I tuned everyone out but Alice and Carlisle. I was loosing my sanity more every minute.

Carlisle looked to Jasper to make sure he was under control, then crouched next to Alice, examining her quickly. She didn't respond to either him or Jasper, but her thoughts seemed a little less clouded than they did a moment ago. I clenched my hands as anxiety poured over me. I felt every second that went by as one more second that the love of my life was in danger. I had to do something immediately.

"Alice will be fine…she is already healing." Carlisle looked at Jasper as he spoke, but his thoughts were directed to me. _She can't help us now, we need to find another way to help Bella._

I let a small moan escape my lips as her name rebounded through my head. I felt Esme move closer to me and place a hand on my trembling shoulder. Her thoughts assailed me, replaying the last moments that she saw Bella. I watched painfully as Bella's devastated gaze appeared before my eyes. The vampires were cunning enough not to form a specific plan before they attacked, keeping Alice from seeing anything. How did they know about Bella's father?

"Charlie?" I managed to ground out between clenched teeth. Carlisle removed a cell phone from his pocket and quickly dialed the Chief Swan's house. We all heard the deep baritone of Bella's father's voice as he answered before Carlisle shut the phone. In the back of my mind I was relieved that he was still alive.

"How did he know?" I asked. Carlisle put a hand on my other shoulder. My parents were trying their best at keeping me calm long enough to form a plan. His thoughts reminded me that mindlessly searching the forest by myself was not going to bring Bella back. Carlisle spoke his theories out-loud. "I believe he was some sort of telepath, able to read people's thoughts and possible communicating to the others that way as well. He knew about Bella's father from reading her mind and was also able to communicate last minute plans to the rest of them. That would certainly explain how Alice was not able to lock down on their plan until it was too late." I felt another wave of guilt rush over me. If I had just taken a moment to scan their minds in the field, I would have known about his power.

Alice was now able to sit up on her own, but was holding her head gingerly. Jasper spoke to her in low tones. "Alice, sweetheart…talk to me." His voice was edged in pain and it made my muscles tremble in sympathy. I didn't know such pain existed until Bella walked out that window and into the waiting clutches of a killer. The agony was unbearable. I knew if Bella was gone, this would be my last day on earth. I would not survive such torture, my strength was tied directly to her.

Alice looked to me, her thoughts coming through clearly now. "Edward…I'm sorry. I can't…I can't see what's next." I slammed my hand into the floor, a fist-sized hole joining the rest of the destruction around me. Jasper's relief at hearing Alice's voice filled my head. Now that his worry over Alice was fading his mind started turning to strategy. I turned to him, desperate for a plan, any plan. "Jasper…" My agonized whisper prompted him to formulate an idea, and then turned to the rest of the family.

"If Edward can't pick up Bella's scent, that means the tracker has done something to mask her from us. He must have covered her in something…but whatever it was he had to have on him, otherwise Alice would have seen it as part of the plan."

Emmett and Rosalie had stepped into the room at that point. "He didn't have anything with him when we were chasing him." Jasper nodded at Emmett. "Yes, but he was _wearing_ something…a large jacket." I heard where his explanation was going. James had bundled up Bella much like I had when they appeared at the baseball game. Her scent was still lingering, but masked by the scent of the tracker.

"Their scents are mingled in the forest. I can't distinguish his from the rest. Did anyone get close enough to get James' scent?" I looked over my family, settling my gaze on Rosalie. She was the only who had physical contact with him. She saw the look on my face and didn't hesitate to step forward and hold out her injured arm, the one James had grasped just moments before. Each one of us breathed in the scent deeply, ingraining it into our minds. I now recognized it from the mingled scents from the forest and I moved to dash back outside. I heard Carlisle speak to the others, telling Esme and Rosalie to stay with Alice and call us immediately if she saw anything. The girls protested at being left behind, but we all knew that they would only be used against us again and they were still recovering from their injuries. I tuned out everything but the hunt at that point.

As I stepped into the darkened forest again, I immediately picked up the tracker's scent. It was not as easy to follow as I thought it would be, and I realized he had backtracked and maneuvered so his scent was patchy and dispersed. The smell jumped from place to place and there were instances where it appeared only high up in the trees. I growled at the thought of Bella being in such precarious areas, and I knew he would have no concern for her safety as he moved through the woods. I heard my brothers and Carlisle as they moved around me, calling out when they picked up a scent. I was frustrated at our slow pace, but at least we were making progress. I knew this was just all part of his sick, sadistic game. Bella was the bait for us, a pawn. My senses were on edge as we moved closer to wherever he took Bella, and I could only hope that Alice saw his location soon. I could not focus on what condition Bella may be in when we found her. The only think keeping me sane were the memories of our time together, and thought of seeing her smiling face again. My angel needed to be spared. I didn't deserve her, but she didn't deserve this. I knew if she survived this night, I would have to make a decision. She was in too much danger around my kind as long as she was human. She was determined to make me the one who damned her for all eternity, but she didn't know what she was asking. The lack of control I was having right now showed me that I was not ready to do what it would take to keep her with me for eternity, but there would only be one other way this was going to turn out. If Bella was to live I had to save her.

And then I would have to leave her.

Carlisle's ringing phone cut through the silent night…..

**Surprise! My first EPOV. Did it suck? I am not really thrilled at how this turned out, but I wanted to get some angst in there somewhere. And we all know how Edward is good at the angst. I have no intention of doing a lot of his POV because I am not very good at it. But either way, I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know!**

**I tried my best to work around Alice's visions…and I know that they aren't supposed to be that vulnerable but again….MY STORY! :P**

**Also, I know there was no power mention about Laurent from the book, but it never said he DIDN'T have a power….right? Sneaky!**


	22. Chapter 20

**Hey kiddies, sorry I am not holding up to the quick-update expectations I have been known for. Life is….well…life. **

**House guests complicated my schedule and then my husband and I didn't have a great weekend…BIG fight. **_**Ugh**_** (and he wonders why I dive into Twilight so much…I don't have stupid fights with Edward). Even when I had time and the urge to write I held off, because if I wrote in that frame of mind I would kill off Bella or send Edward away permanently or something horrible like that, so I chilled for a bit. I hope that you approve.**

**A few important shout outs: Audrey…I wish I could reply back to you and tell you how much I appreciated your review! Kelly…I don't think I have thanked you yet but even if I have, THANK YOU again for loving my story and getting your mom hooked too! I wish I was SM twin…I would cash in on the chance to chill with the Twilight cast lol.**

**Tee….your reviews mean the world to me! You boosted my ego saying I need to write a novel FOR REAL. If only I was as creative as SM then I would hire you as my editor and we would be rich!**

**I have the biggest response yet to the last two chapters and ya'll pushed me over the 200 mark….THANK YOU I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!**

**I pumped myself up for the fight scenes by listening to music from Deftones, Linkin Park, Godsmack, Filter, Saliva, Drowning Pool, and a little Smashing Pumpkins….**

**Disclaimer: I escape To Twilight world when reality becomes too complicated… thanks to Stephenie Meyer for bringing it to my life.**

Chapter 20

I was awake before we reached our destination. I couldn't see anything and I could barely breathe….it took me a moment to orient myself. I was obviously thrown over James' shoulder and wrapped in something, his jacket maybe. It smothered me, wrapped around my head and face and very foul smelling…like dried blood. My nausea appeared with a vengeance and I swallowed reflexively, and immediately regretted it. My throat ached horribly where James had clenched it until I blacked out. I knew there would be some serious bruising to explain later…if I managed to make it to later.

My head pounded from my upside down position and I fought against blacking out again. I knew he would have to stop and put me down in order for me to draw enough breath to scream for help. Edward was coming for me…that was an absolute certainty. It was the only thing that kept me from breaking down.

After an endless time my world was thrown end over end as I was roughly tossed to the ground. I landed hard on my rear and a shockwave shot up my spine, my hands blindly shooting out to catch myself from falling. I felt the familiar texture of the forest floor beneath me, cold and damp. I hastily yanked the heavy material from off my head, drawing an anticipatory breath and prepared my battered throat for the mother of all screams.

James evil smile was the first thing I saw, just centimeters from my shocked face. My scream turned into a terrified chocking sound at his unexpected close proximity. He laughed as I sputtered and scrambled backwards as quickly as I could, coming to a stop against a tree. My breathing was labored, painful…coming out in frightened whimpers that I couldn't control. James stood lithely, his pale skin shining as he shrugged his jacket back on over his bare torso. He stared at me a moment, his head cocked and his smile firmly in place. The longer he went without making a move, the more I panicked. I finally stopped my panic attack long enough to take a deep breath and scream.

I screamed long and loud. I screamed until my voice no longer worked. I screamed Edward's name until it turned into a whisper.

The killer in front of me threw back his head and screamed too. "EDWARD! SAVE ME!" he mocked. I was too stunned by the volume of his voice to do anything but stare at him with wide eyes. How I wish I was brave, that I could keep a strong front and not break down in front of my enemy. I wanted to spit on him, to try to fight, to run….though none of those would be successful. It bothered me that I was weak, that I was not as strong as Edward or anyone else in his family. I wished more than anything that I had been changed and I could stand up to this monster.

Instead, a traitorous tear surfaced and dropped down my cheek.

James lowered his gaze back down to me and his smile became even more menacing. His body blurred and then he was suddenly crouched on top of me. His hand shot out and grasped my jaw painfully. My hands automatically reached up and clawed at his impervious skin. My eyes filled with tears again, this time in pain.

His breath flowed over me, not the same pleasant coolness like Edward's, but colder…like the icy wind blowing over a grave. He growled and I whimpered as he ran his tongue up the side of my face, licking away my tears. He closed his eyes and nuzzled against my cheek and I pushed against him futilely. "So sweet….so intoxicating," he murmured. He jumped back suddenly and shook his finger at me reproachfully. "Ah, not yet my sweet." His voiced was more of a purr. "You're more valuable to me alive, at least for the next few minutes." I couldn't help what I did next. I jumped up and ran as fast as I could. I knew it was stupid and useless, but I couldn't control myself in that moment. Blind panic pushed me away from my frozen position against the tree and I made it maybe ten steps before I was hit from behind.

James had reached me and shoved me face-first on the hard earth. I coughed and gasped into the dirt and leaves my face was pressed in, barely able to raise my head a fraction of an inch. Over my labored breathing and James' faint laughter I heard the trickling of water nearby. I was barely able to process that information before James roughly grabbed the scruff of my neck and tossed me back into the clearing we had just occupied. I rolled across the ground and lay where I stopped, back at my tree again. I stared up at the moon…I felt my mind closing off. I couldn't bring myself to even sit up as James moved around me. "You are a pitiful human, you know that?" His voice floated around me as he remained out of my sight. My eyes were still fixed on the moon as I stayed silent. Obviously he did not need my conformation to continue. "I can't see why they kept you around. They must realize how tasty you would be." I didn't even blink as he taunted me. "Little Edward didn't even have the strength to change you himself, to keep you from being so…breakable."

I was surprised to hear a crackling noise. I turned my head to see James crouched over a small pile of twigs and leaves, small flames starting to rise from it. His crimson eyes jerked to mine and he grinned maliciously. "Don't worry…the option will be taken away from him soon enough." My heart beat harder at his words despite my newfound calmness. He heard it too. "It's nothing personal, my sweet. You can't help how utterly…delicious you smell. If you hadn't been with that unusual coven you would have already been dead. You got a chance to live longer because of your Edward…and he wasted that time."

I turned my head away at his words, fighting to keep the tears away. I didn't want to agree with him, but Edward could have changed me at anytime. I should have convinced him to do it sooner, not to wait for graduation. I clenched my fists at my side and tried not to let any emotion show. The firelight danced around the clearing and I was reminded of the first time I met Edward. I almost smiled as the memories moved through my mind and I could almost imagine my love sitting across the fire.

Almost.

"Aren't you wondering why I took you?" The voice taunting me was definitely not the smooth velvet voice of my dreams. This voice made my body tense and the pain of the day wash over me. Again, I didn't answer him. I refused to let the calmness leave me.

"Your darling Edward tried to hide you from me. He was almost successful too. We watched you and your _family_…" he hissed the word, "for quite some time. It didn't take long for us to see the attachment they had for you….always watching over you. They were almost able to keep us away, we had decided to move on when we caught your scent in this one particular meadow…" His voice trailed off as he inhaled slowly. "We couldn't leave without a taste.

"Laurent wanted to leave, but the challenge was too enticing for him. Victoria, well…she would do anything I asked of her." He was quiet for a moment and I almost turned to see if he had moved out of the area. "She is probably dead now, but that wasn't an unforeseen complication."

I shivered at the chill in his voice. He truly was a monster.

"I did what I set out to accomplish, I proved that I was better than _him_." He spit at the last word, his voice full of malice. "I was able to take the one thing that mattered most from him and now I will kill him."

I jerked my head to him now, unable to keep quiet any longer. "I thought you wanted to kill _me_." My voice was hoarse and shaky. James stood lithely from the burning fire and strolled casually to me, his ever-present smile in place. I pushed myself up into a sitting position, ignoring the screaming pain in my body. He stood directly over me, the fire was at his back and his face was cast into shadows. "Oh, I have every intention of killing you too, just not until Edward is here to enjoy it. I took great pains in masking your scent and my trail to get you away from him." He stepped back from me and walked casually in a circle around the small clearing, gesturing widely with his hands to the area around us. "And now that the scene is set, its time to bring in the main act."

I glanced at the fire, the embers glowing brightly on the bottom burnt logs as the flames reached high, obscuring my captor when he walked back to the opposite side of the fire. I realized how everything he did tonight was with a purpose. He saw the comprehension on my face. "Yes….you see it now. Everything was to set the perfect hunt with the perfect ending…the fire and your screams will just bring him quicker."

"It's just a game to you," I whispered in anger. I couldn't believe that my life had been reduced to this, a pawn in some sadistic freak's game. His laughter fueled my anger. "It's the best of games, my sweet." He turned away from me then, staring out into the dark forest. "It won't be long now…they are close."

My vision turned red. I had worked so hard to become more self-sufficient over the past couple of months and I was back to square one again. I was being used for some psycho's sick pleasure, and not only am I in danger once again, but he was threatening the man I loved.

I was done.

I glared at James' back in pure hatred. I thought of all the things I wanted to do to him. I wanted to stomp on his smug face…cut off his disgusting pony tail…stuff _his_ face into his ill-fitting coat.

The fire snapped loudly, but I didn't flinch. I glared even harder at my enemy. He didn't turn as I moved to my feet. I knew I wasn't quiet in my movements, so he must not view me as any sort of threat to him or in escape. That infuriated me even more. I watched as he rolled his head, his disgusting ponytail dipping into the gap of his jacket.

I would say that I had a plan, but that would require thinking…and I didn't think at all.

I just acted.

I didn't look down as I dove my hand into the center of the raging fire, grabbing the first log I could reach. I didn't feel anything but utter hatred as I threw the burning log at the unsuspecting vampire. For once in my unlucky life, my aim was spot-on.

The log shattered into thousands of burning coals and rained over James' head and shoulders and down the back of his jacket. He flinched and grasped wildly at his shoulders, spinning around at me. My breath started to speed in and out of my lungs in terror at the look in his now-black eyes. He roared, furious and took one step towards me.

Then he realized he was on fire.

He stopped and ripped off his flaming jacket, but the damage was done. His shirt was quickly burning and I took great pleasure in seeing his hair go up in flames. His furious roars continued, but it was now mixed with cries of pain. As I counted on, he had been invincible for so long he didn't know how to act to his one vulnerability. He began moving about wildly, trying to brush the fire off his body but just succeeding in making the inferno worse. Most of his body was now engulfed in flames.

I didn't wait a second longer. I took off in the direction I had earlier, towards the water. The further I got away from James, the quieter his screams became. Unfortunately, it also meant no more light from the fire. I became basically blind as I stumbled through the thickening woods. I stretched out my hands in front of me and actually managed to avoid running into anything.

Until I hit the water.

I stumbled over a rock and fell to my hands and knees in the freezing water. That's when I felt the pain.

My hand burned like nothing I ever felt before. I hadn't felt anything when I had grabbed the log, but I didn't have to look now to know that my hand was a charred mess. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. The cool water rushing over my hand should have helped, but it just made me even more aware of the pain. I sat back, not caring that I was getting wetter by the second and cradled my hand close to my chest. It took another few moments for me to move past the agony enough to be aware that James' screams had stopped.

I held my breath, listening closely for any sign of his approach. When he didn't come crashing through the brush after me I scrambled to my feet and moved back to terra firma. The moon was bright and my eyes had adjusted enough that I could see better, but I knew that as the trees thickened the moon would be of no help to me. My shoes sloshed as I followed the flow of the stream. Right now it was my only indicator of direction, though I didn't exactly know which direction that was. If by some chance I managed to make it until daylight I could check for the other markers, but I remember Emmett mentioning that if I was lost my best bet was to move in one constant direction.

My heart was about to beat out of my chest and I concentrated real hard on not letting any noise leave my mouth. I don't know why I bothered. I knew that James could find me by my horribly attractive scent. That also worked to my advantage. I knew Edward was coming for me and he could find me better than any so-called tracker.

Edward consumed my thoughts as I stumbled through the ferns and trees, my hand curled protectively against my chest. I knew I was running on pure adrenaline, but I would move as fast and as hard as I could for as long as I could. I imagined I was running to Edward, wanting to see him appear around a cluster of trees like he did when I was lost in the forest the first time. I imagined his strong arms wrapping around me and holding me close. I imagined him whispering how much he loved me in my ear and humming my lullaby. I imagined his heart-stopping smile and his wild hair.

Adrenaline kept me going for a while….then it turned to just thoughts of Edward keeping me moving. My mind tuned out everything else as I followed the stream into the night.

**Sooooo, Bella remembered that they are vulnerable to fire…go Bella! Her wilderness training is coming in handy, right? Sorry this is the shortest chapter ever, but I wanted to give you at least a little something before I went to bed. What did you think of this one? **

**I started a poll. Here is the deal, I pretty much have what will happen set in stone. I am purely interested in what you guys think should happen, but more than likely my story will stay the way its going no matter what the poll says. This is just to see what my readers think. So if you get bored feel free to check it out.**

**I have some upcoming scenes rolling through my head so I will try to update much sooner than last time.**


	23. Chapter 21

**OOOOOOkay clearing up some stuff. Apparently the poll thingy isn't working too great and either something is messed up with FF or I don't know what the hell I am doing, which is probably the case. So if the poll works…great! If not, then no biggie.**

**James did not bite Bella….yet! Remember that burning log she grabbed out of the middle of the fire and chunked at James's raggedy pony-tail? Yeah…that messed up her hand big time. Thanks to the adrenaline she didn't feel it right away. It's painful, but not nearly as painful as the venom I am sure.**

**Nope, James is not dead. Remember how fast Edward healed after he got burned a few chapters back? Yeah so he isn't dead, but probably really pissed.**

**Hope that clears things up!**

**Here is the much awaited rescue chapter. You get to find out what happens to Bella and what it means for the star-crossed couple. I had both a blast and a pain writing this chapter, so I just pray it lives up to your expectations. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: YAY I OWN TWILIGHT!!! - - - - LIAR!**

Chapter 21

The trees were moving by much slower now. The moonlight was hidden behind a thick canopy of evergreens, but somehow my eyes had adjusted to the dim light. I still stumbled and fell many times but I stuck next to the stream, keeping with my plan to follow it until I could figure out which way to go next.

My lungs burned painfully as I pushed myself to keep moving, expecting James to tear through the trees and finally kill me. My hand hurt…a lot. I couldn't bring myself to look at it yet, I knew I would surely pass out. My leg muscles ached and my extremities began trembling in exhaustion. When the trees opened up into another small clearing I suddenly stopped…hitting the wall of exhaustion that had been looming on the horizon. I fell to my knees one more time, my reserves on empty. I sat back on my heels, my breathing labored and uneven. My throat felt incredibly, painfully dry. I looked at the gently flowing water next to me. Emmett warned me not to drink any water without sterilizing it first…it could lead to sickness a day or two later. I almost laughed out loud. Either way, I wasn't going to be out in these woods for a day.

I leaned on my side and supported myself on my elbow as I dipped my uninjured hand into the frigid water. I drank greedily, shivering as it pooled icily in my stomach. When I drank my fill I rolled onto my back, suddenly very sleepy. When my breathing slowed along with my heartbeat, the chills started. I knew that snow was forecasted soon and the temperature had dropped since the sunset. My muscles clenched and trembled uncontrollably and my wet clothing did nothing to help the situation. I curled into a ball on my side, hugging my knees to my chest as tightly as I could, struggling to stay awake. I knew that I wouldn't be getting up again.

I fought tears back, trying to think positively. I tried to imagine how Edward would come bursting through the trees and scoop me up into his embrace. He would take me back to the Cullen's house and have a warm bath drawn for me. I knew Esme had hot cocoa in her cabinets for me and I could just imagine sitting in the warm bubbles sipping the steamy drink.

The more I daydreamed, the closer I got to unconsciousness. Every noise made me tense up and shiver harder. I _tried_ to think positively, but the thought that this would be where I died crept up in my mind. I had a feeling that Charlie was really at home, unharmed, but wondering why I wasn't home yet. I knew that if I never came home it would break his heart not knowing what happened. I hoped that Edward could at least give him some sort of peace of mind and closure.

I couldn't help closing my eyes at that point, the exhaustion taking over.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I jerked awake painfully, my muscles now a cramped mess under the pressing cold blanket of the night air. Someone was close, I knew that was what woke me. I opened my mouth and tried to call out for Edward, but my voice no longer worked. I raised my tired eyes to the darkened tree line. I almost smiled at the figure that stepped out into the exposing moonlight.

His skin sparkled beautifully, there was no denying that. His dark eyes focused immediately on me, they widened in satisfaction at what he saw. I wanted to welcome him with open arms…anything to make this night end.

James scurried into my direction and stopped a few feet from my groggy form. His skin was not a charred mess, but it was mottled as it was healing from the burns I inflicted upon him. His hair was returning in haphazard blonde clumps on his scalp. He was shirtless again, but the menacing smile he always wore was gone. He was furious and I felt a thrill of fear rush through me at his glare. I knew this would be over quickly now and for that I was grateful.

He lowered his crouch and I prepared myself for his attack…

It never came.

A loud snarl came from behind me as a large, dark blur launched over my prone form and onto the vampire. There was a flurry of activity as the figures scuffled around me. I blinked my wide eyes and gasped in shock as the two broke apart. James was panting heavily and looked very damaged. Opposite of him was the largest wolf I had ever seen.

I felt a new sort of panic flare through me at the large beast. Its long brown fur was raised on its back, making it look even more intimidating. Its mouth opened and closed furiously as it snarled at the vampire. I honestly didn't know which one was more frightening, but I _knew_ James wanted to kill me. I figured my chances were better if the wolf ended up the victor in this battle. Before James could launch himself at the brown beast, his gaze darted to the tree line. I followed his gaze in shock as two more wolves moved into the moonlight. They were colored differently, one pure black and one a deep gray, but they were just as large if not larger than the first one. They seemed to glance at me with their large, dark eyes for a moment and I clenched in fear. But they obviously didn't consider me a threat and approached the brown wolf, closing in around the obviously out-muscled James. Seeing he was in serious danger, he did what I expected any low-life creep to do in this situation……he ran.

He headed in the direction that we both came from earlier…back to a familiar area no doubt. The wolves turned to dash after him, but then stopped at the edge of the forest. The lifted their heads to sniff the air and I heard one of them let out a low whine. They turned back to the brown one, and I could almost see some kind of silent communication between them. I wanted to sit up, but even if I could I knew it would be a mistake to draw any attention to myself so I remained as silent as possible. It didn't matter…they all swung their heads to me, their dark eyes regarding me carefully. Two of them moved towards me, but then veered off into the trees that they came from. The brown one followed them but paused when he got close to me. I swallowed nervously as I realized how huge he was…easily larger than a bear. He cocked his large head to the side and stared directly into my eyes. I felt tears form in my eyes as the creature looked at me carefully, and I suddenly knew I was in no danger. I almost sobbed in relief and managed to whisper "thank you" to my unexpected guardian. I hoped that the wolf would stay in case James returned, but he dashed into the forest before I could form the request.

The silence that followed their departure was deafening. I couldn't hear anything but the trickle of water behind my curled form and even that seemed muted somehow. I realized that I may be going into shock, but I refused to let my eyes close again. Too much had happened in just a few short minutes to make me want to ever close my eyes again.

When there was a loud crash in the woods where James had fled, I cringed automatically. Strangely enough, I wished for the wolves to return despite how frightening their appearance was. An inhuman roar echoed through the trees and my muscles clenched reflexively, everything in my body screaming for me to get up and run. When a pale-skinned man jumped into the clearing I whimpered in response, but this time in utter relief.

Edward scanned the meadow quickly before finding me huddled next to the stream. I couldn't hear him speak, but I saw his perfect lips form my name and I let a tear escape. The sounds of a fight still crashed around us, but I no longer felt in any danger. Edward dashed over to my side and dropped to his knees beside me. "Edward," I whispered up at my angel. His eyes were pitch-black but I didn't fear him. He reached a hand out towards my face and I was startled to see it tremble. "Bella," he whispered back to me. "Oh Bella."

He ran his fingers down the side of my face tenderly and I closed my eyes in response. The overwhelming urge to sleep came over me until Edward's velvet smooth voice snapped me out of it. "No, Bella…you need to stay awake." He waited until I dragged my heavy eyes open before looking over my body for injuries. He touched me gently like he had the first time he rescued me, finding my tender spots. His face clenched in fury at the bruising on my neck and I shivered again as his icy hand settled on my throat soothingly. He saw me shiver, quickly removing his jacket and settling it over me. He had no body heat to immediately relieve my chilled body, but the scent of him relaxed me immensely.

Edward reached up and stroked my hair again. "Bella, sweetheart…tell me where it hurts." His own voice was laden with pain, cracking with emotion. I smiled up at him gently, reaching for his face. I wanted to smooth out those frown lines on his forehead, they didn't belong on a perfect face. When he saw my hand, he moaned and grasped it gently between his own. "What happened? Are these _burns_?" I had forgotten about the pain until he tried to open my curled fingers and get a better look. Then I found the voice to scream. He stopped immediately and smoothed his hand over my hair again, speaking in agonized tones. "I'm so sorry…it's okay now…I've got you now…please…I'm so sorry…."

I bit my lip and gasped in painful breaths, my shivering getting stronger. I knew he was blaming himself for what happened this evening and I wanted to stop his apologies and reassure him, but the words were stuck behind my clenched teeth. Edward turned towards the darkened forest and called out for Carlisle. After a moment Edward's father appeared out of the tress and next to his son. He crouched over me as well and gave me a reassuring smile. I had seen that smile many times on many doctor's faces and it was meant to calm…but I already had my Edward keeping me calm. Edward moved to sit next to my head as Carlisle removed his own coat and placed it on the lower half of my trembling body. "Her hand…" Edward murmured to Carlisle. The golden doctor didn't need to look very closely at it. "Bella, your burn is pretty nasty but you should be fine. Do you have any other serious injuries?"

I shook my head, my teeth chattering. Carlisle looked up at Edward, "We need to get her warm, now." Edward shook his head, "She doesn't need to be near _him_ anymore, even if he is burning." I never heard my love's voice full of such malice. Carlisle kept his voice calm, "Edward, she is in shock. She needs to warm up _now_, there is a fire started and we _are_ going to use it." He started to reach down to lift me but Edward growled and moved into lift me himself. I moaned a little at the ache in my body, but I knew Edward's guilt would increase with every noise I made so I held back as much as I could. Within a second we were standing by a large roaring fire. Through my weak gaze I saw Emmett and Jasper staring intently at me from next to the inferno. They had logs in their hands and were throwing them in periodically. I knew that James was no longer a threat and could feel nothing but satisfaction that he was somewhere in the middle of that blaze. I gave them a weak, wobbly smile and sighed when Edward laid me down close to the heat. I protested the loss of his embrace but he quieted me and tucked the jackets closer around my body. "I am too cold to hold you right now, sweetheart. You need to get warm as quick as possible." His voice was musical and I felt myself melting both inside and out under it and the warm fire. I fought to keep my eyes open and watched as Edward's brothers moved over to my side. Edward must have read their thoughts because he was removing the jackets on top of me even as they approached. Emmett shrugged out of his zip-up hoodie and Jasper removed his leather jacket and they draped them over me. Emmett tried to smile at me but it didn't reach his eyes. "Here squirt, we have been next to the fire for a little longer than you, these should be nice and toasty."

He was right. I sighed under the heated clothing on me and Edward placed the other jackets on top of them to hold in the heat. I couldn't help but to close my eyes then and somehow managed to snake my good hand out towards Edward. His cool grasp enclosed over my hand and his thumb rubbed against me, making me sigh again. For a while, I thought I would never feel this again and I absolutely basked in it. Nothing mattered anymore…not the cold…not my pain…just Edward's touch. I heard him quietly ask Carlisle something and he responded, "We will take her back to the house in a few minutes after she has warmed up a little more." I heard the sound of gentle footsteps pacing near me. "Calm down Emmett." Carlisle admonished gently.

Emmett's voice was quieter than usual, but still startling against the muted atmosphere. "Do you _smell_ that though? They have to still be close."

"That may be, but we are on neutral territory and they obviously attacked James and helped save Bella." I wanted to concur with Carlisle, immediately realizing who they were talking about.

"Yeah, did you see the condition he was in by the time we got here? Not only had those mutts mangled him but he looked like he got prematurely set on fire as well." Jasper's southern drawl came out impressed sounding. Edward ran his cool fingers over my face and head. "Bella must have done that, her hand is so burned…" I heard Carlisle pat his son on the back. Emmett chuckled slightly, "I knew she had it in her. Did you notice how she stuck to the stream? It made it so much easier to follow her scent just going in one direction. I taught her that." I wished I could give him a grin showing him how grateful I was for his unorthodox teaching methods.

"She is warmer," Edward informed Carlisle.

I drifted in and out on the trip back to the house. I vaguely realized that I was more bundled up coming back than I was when I left. I shouldn't have found that funny, but I am pretty sure my mind was not all there at this point. During my moments of awareness I heard Alice's concerned voice drift over me and the cool, motherly touch of Esme. When I was settled on a flat surface I felt my clothes being removed. I was too tired to protest or even care who it was that removed them. Somehow they managed to sit me up long enough to slip new clothing over my head and then piles of warm blankets were tucked around me.

I lost consciousness again and when I awoke I saw Edward's face through blurry eyes. He was murmuring reassuring words, too low for me to comprehend but they calmed me none-the-less. Carlisle's form appeared next to him and I felt my hand being removed from the blankets. I couldn't help the gasp of pain as my burned hand brushed against the fabric. "Bella? I am going to give you something to help with the pain. I need to clean up your hand, okay?" Carlisle's voice was smooth but I turned to Edward for my comfort. He pulled me close into his cool embrace and kissed the top of my head. I felt the sting of a needle in my skin and heard the first few notes of my lullaby before I drifted off again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When I awoke it was morning. The bright light shone around me, courtesy of the back wall of the unfamiliar room being solid glass. I blinked heavily, my eyes telling me that my body was not quite ready to wake up yet but my mind screamed for Edward's voice to be heard. I rolled my head to the side and was met with an empty pillow. I realized that I was still in the Cullen house, but I wasn't in Edward's room. From the rich color hues surrounding me I assumed it was Carlisle and Esme's room and I was in a large bed.

I fought against the heaviness of my body and started to move into a sitting position. Before I could do very much the door opened and the one person I wanted to see entered the room. Edward paused in the doorway momentarily, his eyes locked onto mine, then he was at my side. He helped me into a sitting position against the massive wooden headboard and stayed silent as he tucked the covers tighter around my lap. I opened my mouth and said his name, but it came out more like a strangled squeak. I swallowed reflexively and winced at the dry soreness that accompanied the action. Edward immediately pressed the cool glass of water he had brought into my uninjured hand. "Try to drink something first. The morphine may have dried your throat." He helped me hold the glass steady as I sipped at it. When I tried to speak again, it came out much clearer and I said the three words that I had needed to say since he found me.

"I love you."

His eyes were back to the bright golden color that fueled my every fantasy. He didn't smile, which worried me at first, then he pressed his lips gently against mine. He rested our foreheads together and let out a long sigh, "God help me…I love you too."

My soul mate pulled back from me and gave me a small smile. "How are you feeling this morning?"

I turned my foggy mind onto my body and its various aches and pains. Besides my throbbing hand I felt just a little soreness. "Pretty good, all things considered," I answered lightly. He didn't return the smile I gave him. Instead, he reached for my burned hand, which was now encased in a large bandage. It looked like I had a white boxing glove on. "Your hand?"

I knew he would just get angry if I blew off his question, so I answered honestly. "It hurts, but as long as I don't move it or anything it stays to a mild throbbing." I had a feeling that Carlisle gave me some pretty decent pain medication when he cleaned it and when it wore off I would be feeling a lot worse, but I didn't see the need to discuss that with Edward.

Noises from downstairs drifted up to us and I looked at Edward questioningly. "What's going on?" He sat back from me on the bed but I grabbed his arm to keep him near. He grasped my good hand and rubbed it gently. "Reconstruction. There is supposed to be a snow storm coming in and Esme refuses to let the weather ruin her living room." He had a small smile on his face, but my gaze was full of concern. "Is everyone alright? I saw Esme thrown at Alice…." He cut me off. "Everyone is fine now. Don't worry about us." I felt my eyes fill with tears and I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. I was so afraid to ask my next question. "And…Ch-Charlie?" Edward tucked my hair behind my ear, "He's fine. They were just using his name to get you away from us. They never touched him." I closed me eyes briefly in relief while he continued. "He will actually be by in a little while to check on you." My eyes shot open. "What did you tell him?" At this Edward shifted a little where he sat. I cocked my head suspiciously at him, he doesn't look normal when he is nervous. "Edward?"

He looked at me again. "_We_ didn't exactly tell him anything. The story he heard was that you decided to join up with a group of friends down at La Push beach when you left our house and you fell. He knows that your hand was burned and that you went into shock, but you were brought here to Carlisle since he was closer than the hospital. When he called last night Carlisle recommended you recuperate here so he could treat your burns and convinced Charlie to wait and see you when you were awake."

I blinked up at him, not comprehending. "So, you said that _you_ didn't tell him anything, then _who_ did tell him?"

"Jacob Black."

I was shocked. "But…how…."

"There are a lot of things that you don't know about our world, Bella. Can you tell me what happened last night?"

I took another sip of water and then began to tell him everything I remembered. His face look tortured as I told him how I threw the burning log at James and he kissed my bandaged hand tenderly. I skipped over how James tossed me around, I figured it wasn't a necessary point to the story. When I got to the part when the wolves stopped James from attacking me I watched Edward's face. His mask was back in place and he didn't seem at all surprised by my descriptions of the large animals.

"Jacob Black is…connected to the wolves you saw last night. They are part of the legends that he told you about. We are not allowed on their reservation and our kind is natural enemies of theirs. While my family has a treaty with them, we don't have the best relationship with them. But I will forever be in their debt for saving you." I pondered his words. I knew that I would have to speak to Jacob directly to hear the story from him. It still blew me away that Jacob Black was somehow connected to the terrifying beasts that came to my rescue.

Edward's gaze moved to our joined hands. "Bella…" his voice sounded strained again, "you have no idea what it felt like last night. When I knew you were taken by that evil monster…" his hand released mine to run angrily through his hair. "He took my heart when he took you. I nearly lost my mind trying to get to you, thinking we were too late."

Tears ran unheeded down my cheeks as I reached for him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him tight, running my good hand through the hair on the back of his head. At first he stiffened, then he wrapped his arms around me as well. It unnerved me to see him so distraught. "I'm okay now. You saved me…I knew you would come for me."

We stayed like that for several minutes until he pulled back from me. He cradled my face delicately between his stone-hard hands. His face was just inches from mine, his eyes shining with intensity. "If anything happened to you…if you left this earth….I would find you. No matter where you were, I would find my way back to you. If you were gone, I would follow you soon after." I tried to shake my head in protest but he stopped me with a kiss. He gently rubbed my tears away, "You are my life, Isabella Swan. No matter what happens, remember that in the entire time I have existed on this planet I have loved you with my whole being. I loved you before you were created and I will love you until I am no more."

I choked on a sob and threw myself against him, kissing him passionately. My heart swelled at his professions of love, but it also ached at the melancholy tone behind them. I didn't like to hear him talk about not-existing and the future as if something else was going to happen. I just wanted to know he would be with me forever and nothing else mattered. I pulled back before he had the chance to, knowing I was already pushing him to his limit. "We will be together forever, Edward Cullen…and I will spend the rest of eternity showing you how much I love you." He gave me a heartbreaking smile and I felt my brows furrow at the look of sadness on his face. Before I could ask him anything he glanced at the doorway. "Alice says that Charlie will be here in a few minutes and she needs to make you presentable." I looked down and flushed when I realized I was only wearing an oversized t-shirt. Edward chuckled as I flung the covers back over my lap and moved to let his impatient sister in the bedroom.

"Bella! How are you feeling?" The small vampire moved gracefully across the room and sat on the edge of the bed, a small pile of clothes in her hand. I reassured her that I was alright and waved off her apologies when she told me she was unable to get any visions for a short while when I went missing.

"Well, we have to make sure you are wearing a turtleneck while Charlie is here. There is no good way to explain why you have bruises all over your neck." Her topaz eyes scanned my face. "Make-up should cover the rest of them with no problem." I automatically reached up to touch my sore face. "Is it that bad?" I wasn't sure I wanted to know. Alice winced and tried to smile reassuringly, but I groaned at her response. Edward was watching us quietly from across the room. When I looked back to him he had a somber look on his face. He slowly walked over to my bed, seeming to devour me with his eyes. I wanted his smile back. I wanted him to look at me with utter infatuation again, not to wear this haunted mask as he leaned over and pressed a firm kiss to my forehead. His fingers lingered on my cheek and he pulled away. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too." I whispered back with all the love I had in me.

He didn't take his eyes off mine. "Take care of her, Alice." Alice looked up at him intensely but he ignored her. He turned and walked smoothly out the bedroom door, closing it softly behind him. I didn't look at Alice as she helped me dress and prepare for Charlie's visit. I kept my gaze locked on the bedroom door, willing it to open again. Something was wrong, I felt it deep inside of me. When he didn't return after Charlie's visit a new pain flared through me. Carlisle changed my bandage while Alice held my other hand in comfort. He asked me how bad my pain was. I wanted to explain to him that my hand was not the most painful part of me right now. There was a burning ache inside my chest, pulsating and stabbing. As the day turned into night and Edward still hadn't returned, I realized that the stabbing pain was my heart…and it was breaking.

**You know what to do.**


	24. Chapter 22

**OME OME OME I have over 300 reviews!!!!! You guys are so great!**

**Okay, now I am calm let's chat a bit. I think there will only be one or two more chapters after this one for the story. I am not sure if I will do a sequel someday but my focus has shifted to other ideas for stories for now. I know how I want this to play out already, it's just a matter of getting it down and making it perfect for you guys!**

**I am seriously grateful for the lack of flames for making Edward leave. I know ya'll didn't want him to that but let's be honest…New Moon was that much better because of their emotional reunion, right?**

**Speaking of New Moon…its official! Taylor Lautner will be playing Jacob! YAY! They must have found a way to make him fit the description because there is no way they would screw up this movie by giving him a part just because they liked his personality. I am excited! **

_**And I am so extremely excited to see that TWILIGHT will be released on DVD on March 21**__**st**__**!!!!!! YAY!!!!! You can pre-order it on amazon (dot) com but I am too impatient to wait for shipping…I will be the first in line to buy it at the store!**_**Finally, my reviewers are the best in world. There are so many I want to list personally on here but just know that I love you guys! If you sign in to leave me a review I will almost always respond. There have been a few PM's telling me to write my own novel to sell and even one fantastic lady has asked if she can print and bind my story so she can keep it next to her Twilight books on the bookshelf. **Turns red and stutters** Oh….my God! I almost cried!**

**I'll save the crying for the emotions in this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Oh how I wish I owned Twilight….**

Chapter 22

My days at the Cullen house went by too fast. I stayed until Sunday morning and Carlisle could find no more medical reasons to keep me under his care, so Charlie collected me and drove me home. I smiled and looked relieved to be going home. I told Charlie that my stay at the Cullen's was nice and I was well rested. I am not sure if I was outright lying or if I was in denial.

I didn't talk to anyone that week, not really. If someone asked me a question I answered them and gave a smile, but even I knew that the smile was weak. Alice showered me with clothes, mostly turtlenecks to wear until the bruises on my neck faded. I thanked her profusely and when I hastily agreed to another shopping trip she looked at me suspiciously. She knew I would normally never be so agreeable to go shopping, but I was desperate to remain in their lives even though the site of them made my pain almost unbearable. I was deluding myself into thinking I could still be a part of them.

Emmett had declared me a "master of the wilderness" so I didn't need any more lessons from him. Esme told me that I would always be welcome, but I could tell she was torn. I knew his family honestly cared for me, but they wanted to remain loyal to Edward. That's why his name was not spoken around me since he walked out of my life.

I didn't need to ask them if he was coming back to me. I saw it in his eyes the last time he looked at me. For whatever reason, he was leaving me and possibly Forks for good. I didn't ask why, it didn't matter.

I didn't care.

The bottom line was that he was gone, and I might as well have been gone too.

Charlie insisted on making dinner Sunday evening, which was pretty much picking up the phone and ordering take-out.

I didn't care.

I didn't taste anything I put in my mouth. I ate only to satisfy his concerns and even then I don't think it worked. My father was blissful in his ignorance and didn't question my melancholy mood, but it didn't escape his notice either. I knew if it got too bad he would call Renee, and that was not acceptable to me so I soldiered on the best I could.

When dinner was over I took a couple of pain pills Carlisle has prescribed for me and curled into a ball on the bed. My hand throbbed dully, but it was slowly healing. I would have scars. They wouldn't be too bad but I was told I could see a plastic surgeon if I wanted.

I didn't care.

I stared at the moonlight pouring through the open window to my bedroom. The breeze coming in was frigid and I knew that I should shut it. There was already a layer of snow on the ground and more was expected soon, but I knew it would stay open. I wasn't sure it would ever be closed at night again. I didn't even entertain the thought of trying to move on. It wasn't physically possible for me.

I heard the phone ringing downstairs, the television being turned on and off, Charlie's snores…the hours dragged on and still I stared out the window. I didn't bother to wrap myself in the blanket. The cold reminded me of Edward and I held onto that sensation. Deep into the night I finally closed my exhausted eyes and each breeze that brushed over me felt like the fingertips of my love.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When I awoke the next morning I was stiff and cold as ice. The day was overcast and perfectly gloomy. Charlie tentatively knocked on my door and I slowly sat up as he walked in. He immediately crossed his arms over his chest. "Jesus, Bella! It's freezing in here!" He looked from me to my window and stomped over to shut and lock it. "What were you thinking?"

I didn't meet his eyes. My mind was cloudy and my body almost unresponsive, but I tried to shrug off his concern. "Sorry Dad. I guess I didn't shut it all the way and it blew open." The excuse sounded weak, but apparently Charlie was satisfied with what he heard from me because he just dropped a blanket around me before kissing the top of my head and wishing me a good day back at school. I waited for the sound of his car to fade before I got out of bed. My steps were unsteady as I moved to the closed window and looked out. The ledge beside my window was covered in a light powdery snow…and there were no footprints to indicate anyone had been here during the night. I just blinked and reached up to unlock the window before turning to start my day.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I am not sure what I looked like, because I didn't bother to look in the mirror after I threw on a black turtleneck and forced myself to go to school, but I must look as bad as I felt. Students stared at me from the moment I stepped out of the truck. It didn't help that my hand was still wrapped in a large white glove.

I didn't care.

I didn't see how anyone could possible know what happened to me, but the whispers I overheard confirmed that somehow they did. Jessica didn't say anything to me when she saw me in the hall. I think she wanted to, but whatever she saw in my expression made her lower her eyes and precede me into the classroom. Emmett was already seated and tried to give me a smile as I neared, but his smiles didn't reach his eyes either. I gave him my own fake one and moved to my seat in the back.

Each class was the same. I would get pitiful looks and whispering behind my back and I could honestly care less. My teachers were informed of my injury and that writing would be difficult for the next couple of weeks so they held me back after each period and discuss my alternative assignments. I nodded and took the papers from them as they handed them to me and moved on.

One thing at a time…one foot in front of the other.

Lunch became the most unbearable part of my school days. Mike took advantage of my lack of escort and followed me to the cafeteria. Once inside I would automatically slide my eyes over to the Cullen table and look over the beautiful, pale faces seated there. Again and again I was disappointed. Alice's eyes always looked over with a thoughtful expression and I knew she wanted to talk to me. I couldn't ignore them and sit with my other friends, but the familiar setting where I sat with them during the happiest times of my life burned my heart….and the thought of trying to resume any sort of life that resembled what I use to have made me want to lose all control. So I chose the coward's way out and grabbed a bottled water before heading to the library.

After several days of continuing this routine Alice insisted on seeing me. Charlie went to work on a late shift and left the house for me to have "dinner" with her. When I opened the door after a knock sounded I raised my eyebrows at the spectacle in front of me. Alice stood by the door…and the rest of the family stood anxiously behind her. Even Carlisle and Esme were there, smiling and holding take-out bags. I moved aside and they all filed in, looking about curiously. I realized that this must be one of the first human homes any of them have been inside of in a long time. Esme kissed my cheek and I bit my lip at the cool feeling of her lips against my skin. "I hope you don't mind dear, but we missed you so much." I gave her a small smile. "Not at all. I am really glad to see all of you." I was surprised to even see Rosalie among them, though her nose was turned up slightly at the furnishings surrounding her. Emmett was the last inside, carrying more bags of food. "Hey squirt! We brought dinner!"

I gaped at the numerous bags placed on the dining room table. "What's all this?" Alice came up next to me and played with a lock of my hair. "You need to eat more, and we weren't sure what you liked so we got one of everything at the Lodge." I honestly appreciated their generosity, but the very thought of eating made my stomach clench. I knew I wouldn't have a choice since they were watching me so closely, just like Charlie.

We all awkwardly sat in the small living room and they chatted about random things to fill the silence. I didn't really have the room to comfortably accommodate everyone, but going to their house was not an option for me. I think they understood that I could never go back there because they never asked otherwise, just made sure that I knew I was welcome anytime.

After I had shoved enough food in my body to satisfy them, Carlisle checked my hand. I watched as he gently spread cream onto the healing flesh. I still couldn't move my fingers without irritating the wounds, but he said that it was healing nicely.

I didn't care.

He gave me a special bandage to wear. It looked like a gauze-like glove with the end of the fingers cut out. It was a lot less awkward than the huge bandage I had been wearing and I thanked him for it. When he asked if I needed more pain pills I declined. I didn't tell him, but I hadn't taken any pills since my first night home. It's not like they helped me sleep and I even welcomed the pain. Feeling pain was better than feeling nothing at all, and I was pretty sure that if I didn't feel pain I would lose my last hold on reality.

Finally, there was nothing else to talk about. I sat in the company of six vampires, but I was the one who was a zombie. I was getting tired of keeping up the façade, but it didn't take more than the sound of one particular word to snap me out of it.

"Bella," Alice began, "there are some things you need to know…about Edward."

My gaze snapped to hers. I didn't say anything as I stood up suddenly and tried to walk out of the living room. Emmett and Jasper stood as well, blocking my way. I looked at them, the betrayal evident on my face. They returned it with their own apologetic looks, but refused to budge. "I don't want to do this." I whispered angrily. Alice came up behind me, "I know…but we don't have much time left to talk." I turned to face the dark-haired girl, our eyes level with each other. "What do you mean?"

It was Esme who answered. "I'm sorry Bella, but we will be leaving in a few days. We are moving away." I dropped my eyes to the floor then, unable to look to the woman who had become my second mother. I stared at the lines in the polished wood as they waited for me to say something. When they realized I wasn't going to, Alice spoke again. "He asked us to leave…he wants us to start over somewhere else." I didn't need to ask who she was talking about. I closed my eyes, which were suddenly burning. "You are going to leave me too?" I choked out.

Alice tried to reach for me but I pulled away from her…and backed into Jasper. He steadied me with his hands on my shoulders. "Bella, we don't know what else to do. I can feel your emotions. You are holding back everything and it isn't good for you. Have you even cried yet?" I didn't answer him. Alice kept talking. "We don't want to leave you. You are my best friend." The burning in my eyes increased, but I refused to start crying now. I felt myself shrink in my shell even more, already feeling the loss. I refused to break down in front of them and just nodded. I just wanted them to go ahead and leave, I couldn't handle holding it together for much longer.

"Please Bella," Alice's soft voice pleaded with me. "Don't you want to know why Edward wants to leave?" I knew she has wanted to talk with me about it since he walked away from me, but I just shook my head vehemently.

"I don't care." I whispered.

I jerked in surprise as Rosalie's voice snapped at me. "Of course you care! This is ridiculous!" She stood lithely from her seat and stalked over to me. Emmett reached out for her. "Rose, maybe now is not a good time…"

"No," she bit out. "I am sick of tip-toeing around the human. Everyone knows how torn up these two are without each other and its stupid! Edward will always love her and she obviously cares for him." I stared at her wide-eyed, too shocked to even breathe properly. Rosalie looked at me directly then. "Edward left because of some stupid notion to keep you safe. He feels responsible that you were taken and he thinks if we all leave then you will be free to live a normal, happy-human life." She cocked her head and narrowed her golden eyes, her hair swirling over one shoulder. "Did he pull that whole _'I don't want to take your soul' _crap on you?"

"Rosalie!" Carlisle snapped at her. "That is enough!" He turned to me apologetically and I was still too stunned to keep them from saying more. "Forgive us for interfering Bella, but we saw no other way. We want to respect Edward's wishes…he is our son after all. But we also know how his mind works. It was no secret that he thought that he lost his soul the day he became a vampire, no matter how we try to tell him otherwise. Obviously, no one can be sure, but it's a hard way to live thinking that way." Esme placed her hand on his arm to let him know she wanted to speak. "But since you came into his life, we thought he felt differently. It had been understood that you would become one of us and we just assumed that Edward was convinced that he wouldn't be endangering your soul. Now we realize that he isn't totally confident of that fact."

I shook my head briefly as one thing she said stood out from the rest. "You thought he would turn me into a vampire?" I didn't know he had discussed this with any of his family yet. All eyes shifted to Alice. "Bella, I saw it." I couldn't meet her eyes, my heart burning painfully. "He had decided to turn you, and I saw it happening."

Somehow I managed to swallow past the lump in my throat. "And now?"

When she didn't answer right away I finally looked back at her face. She looked indecisive. "It's not clear. Edward is conflicted and it's making your future change. In some scenarios I still see you as an immortal, but in others you remain human."

I felt my heart thump. It felt like it was the first non-painful motion it's made in a long time. My future wasn't set in stone. I knew that decisions affected Alice's visions of what was to come, and if she was not convinced I was going to remain human, it meant I still had a chance. Foolishly, I gave myself one brief second of hope. "Where is he?"

It was Alice's turn to look at the floor. "He said he would join us at the new home, and that we were not supposed to tell you where that was. He said he won't contact us again until he gets there and he has no specific destination in mind right now, so his location isn't certain."

Stupid, _stupid_ Bella. That small glimmer of hope was drowned in despair. "When?" I managed to whisper.

"We leave in two days." Carlisle answered. Saturday.

Alice grasped my hands in her cool ones. "Bella, you had to know why he was doing what he is doing. I thought you would want to know he never stopped loving you. I will _never_ quit trying to convince him to come back to you. If he contacts us or I get a vision or _anything_ I will call you…I promise!"

I couldn't nod….I couldn't do anything. We all knew this may be the last time I would see them. They offered to come back by tomorrow night but I told them not to. It was hard enough to say goodbye once, I couldn't do it again. The last part of my life that had any meaning was leaving and I needed to grieve.

I was still sitting in the living room hours later. I had memories of hugging everyone, even Rosalie. I remembered each of them saying something to me and quite a few of them sounded like they would be crying if they could. I kept my eyes fixed on the wall in front of me as the darkness got thicker. My mind revolved around nothing except one image. I saw Edward in our meadow, his eyes sad as he turned and walked away from me through the tree-line, leaving me crumpled in the grass. The vision repeated itself over and over again, ingraining itself into my mind. Only when the headlights of Charlie's cruiser cut through the living room did I snap out of it. I dimly realized it was only a couple of hours until school started as I dragged myself up the stairs. My night was the same as it had been…open window, blank stare and complete agony.

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Friday was hell. I started up the day realizing that the Cullen's would not be at school. Emmett's seat was empty during first period. Of course they weren't here, they were preparing to leave.

It was the first crack in my armor.

Jessica asked me if I knew what was going on because she heard a rumor that they had dropped out. Mike overheard us and piped in his opinion, which wasn't good.

That was my second crack.

I ignored them completely, not having the energy to pretend to be anywhere close to normal. I didn't even flinch when I was scolded by my English teacher for not paying attention. I went from one class to the other automatically. With each passing hour my heartbeat grew louder and louder, filling my ears so much that I could no longer hear the constant noise in the hallways. Everything else had been drowned out by the pulse echoing in my head.

I followed the crowd into the lunch room…just going with the flow of student traffic. I stood in the lunch line because I was basically corralled there. I reflexively grabbed a bottled water and stared at the back of the person in front of me. Whoever it was, they wore a dark blue jacket and it had a small stain on the shoulder. I stared at that dark spot until I began to see shapes in it. I had to look away when I saw a dark eye staring back at me.

Another crack.

My breathing started getting faster along with my loud heart rate. The lady at the checkout station was saying something to me. I saw her mouth moving but heard nothing but my breath and beating heart. I felt sweat breaking out on my forehead and my stomach flipping over. The lady repeated herself, looking at me with concerned eyes.

Then it was silent.

My heart was quiet, my breathing no longer excruciating loud….one voice came through every other sound and it was the last one I wanted to hear.

"I can't believe Edward Cullen is never going to be here again. I bet Bella made him run off screaming. Such a shame, he had the most gorgeous eyes…" Lauren's nasally voice filled every part of my consciousness.

I cracked wide open.

I dropped the water I had been clutching tightly and it bounced once before rolling underneath a table nearby. My hand flew up and pressed against my chest. All my bones were breaking, my body falling apart right here, in a high school cafeteria. I sobbed once, only once…then I ran.

I pushed pass the students milling about out of their seats, some of them calling out to me. I charged through the double doors out into the rain. I felt my body split open and I headed for the cover of the trees. As soon as I passed into the line of the forest I collapsed. The mud soaked into my clothes as I curled on my side and let out deep, wracking sobs. I pulled my knees up to my chest to try to hold my disintegrating body together and I screamed into my knees. My hand was aching as I clutched my denim pants desperately. I didn't recognize the sounds coming out of me anymore. I sobbed and cried until I couldn't breathe anymore. The blackness was closing in on my vision and I welcomed it, reached for it. It took over me when I felt I couldn't last a second longer, and I wished with everything I had that I would never come back from it.

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Sometime later I did come back. I moaned out loud before I even opened my eyes, knowing that the blackness had let me go. The pain returned full force and I shut my eyes tightly, trying to let go again.

Warm hands trailed over my face and tucked my hair back. It was such a change from the icy touch I was used to that my eyes automatically opened in shock. Brown eyes met brown eyes as Jacob Black peered at me in concern. A quick glance showed me that I was in my bedroom. Further investigation revealed that I was in clean clothes and my hand had a fresh bandage on it. Jacob said my name cautiously, like he was talking to a mentally deranged person. I had to admit that it was close to the truth.

"Bella? How are you feeling?"

What a loaded question. I couldn't help but to narrow my eyes at him. I didn't dignify it with an answer and I think he realized immediately how stupid it was to ask me that right now. He grimaced and sat back. I felt bad for him and reluctantly sat up. "What happened?" My voice was hoarse, like I had been screaming for days. I had so many more questions to ask him, but I stuck with simple things first. He kept his soulful eyes on me and I got a real good look at him. He looked older…not just physically. While he did seem a lot…bigger since I last saw him, the age he had gained showed through his expression. I knew I had aged that way too in the last week. I felt ancient.

"I got a call from…Alice Cullen." He seemed reluctant to say her name for some reason. "She said that you needed a friend, that you were upset and I should come keep an eye on you."

I looked to my clock and was only mildly surprised to see it was late afternoon. Charlie would be home for dinner tonight, and I needed to somehow avoid him after my "episode" today. I also wasn't very surprised to hear that Alice saw my breakdown. She must have been the one to come get me and clean me up. I knew why she didn't stay, and I was grateful for that small favor. I couldn't handle seeing any of them right now, even though it would be for the last time.

"Jake, what happened last week? Why did you tell Charlie I was at La Push?"

Jake looked hesitant then, and I was afraid that he would be one more person that would try to lie to me for my own good. "Umm, I knew you would need a cover story and it's the only thing I could think of at the time." He took a deep breath and I waited patiently for him to continue. "Bella, there are a lot things going on that I…can't tell you about." He reached for my arm when I rolled my eyes and snorted. "No, don't be mad. I can tell you some things but you need to understand that when I say to you that I can't tell you anything…it's because I physically _can't_. I have been sworn to secrecy in a way, and there are more people involved than just me." I looked at him from the side of my eye, not sure if I bought that excuse or not. He gave me a smirk. "Out of all the things you have found out over the past few months, things you didn't know even existed…is it so hard to believe in ancient-secret-keeping-binding oaths?"

I sighed at that. He had a point. "So what _can_ you tell me?"

He sat back a little, but didn't release his hand from my arm. I found his touch slightly comforting and didn't try to move away from him.

"You know the story I told you when you asked about the Cullen's?" I nodded. "Well obviously you know the truth behind that story. Now think about what else I told you…about our people."

I thought back over that day, recalling everything in hazy detail. He mentioned something about his people being enemies of the Cullen's and how they descended from wolves. My eyes widened and I jerked my head to him in surprise. He pursed his lips and nodded. I opened my mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "Jake…the wolves from that night…" He nodded. "I can't give you any specific information, but I wanted you to know that you don't have to be afraid. The wolves aren't evil, they protect people. There will always be someone looking out for you, protecting you."

I placed my hand over his, our skin tones contrasting against each other. His dark skin was smooth and I made a path up his arm and to his face with my eyes. His dark hair was loose today, shining in the fading light from my window. The color reminded me of the lead wolf from that frightening night and I looked to Jake's eyes. The large brown orbs looked back at me, and I knew it was no longer a question. "Jake." I whispered, and he gave me a small smile. I squeezed his hand, showing him that I was not afraid of him. "Thank you."

He smile grew and he ducked his head, a scant amount of color lighting his cheeks. For a moment, he looked like the Jacob Black I knew from this summer. When he met my eyes again, the older Jacob was back. He had grown so much in such a short time, and what was left of my broken heart went out to him.

He sighed and moved to stand, looking down at me. "I better get going before Charlie gets here. I am fresh out of good excuses for stuff." He chuckled and I turned my lips up into a small smile. It was the best I could give him right now. His own smile faded slightly and he studied me closely. "Listen, I can't believe I am about to say this, but…you need him." I looked away from him, the pain flaring up. He paused for a moment, but then continued. "There is a treaty Bella, but we are still supposed to be enemies. But I know that they look after you and they want to protect you too. That's the only reason why we left that night after we found you."

I kept my gaze down on the covers, but nodded to show I was listening. "Personally, I would be overjoyed if they never came back, but I care about you, Bella." I looked at him and saw that it was the truth. "You were happy when you were with him. If I could be the one who did that for you, I would do it in a heartbeat." We both flushed at the declaration of his feelings, and I wished I could be that person for him. We both knew that it just wasn't possible for me, not now and maybe not ever.

Jake gave me another smile before leaning down and pressing his lips to my forehead. He broke away quickly and headed for the door, pausing to look back at me. "Oh, and Bella? We are able to sense when they leave the area, and so far they are all still here." He looked at me meaningfully. "_All_ of them." Before I could say anything he was gone and I heard the door close quietly behind him.

I probably would have had a greater reaction to what I just heard if I wasn't so emotionally voided. Werewolves…and Jake was one of them. My mind wanted to focus more on that new discovery, but my heart refused to share my concentration. The only thing I could currently focus on was the fact that Edward was still nearby. I knew if Alice found out exactly where he was, she would have called me by now. I had to figure out a way to contact him. I needed to see him, even if it was for just tonight. I tried to tell myself that a sense of closure would help me cope with his loss, but logically I knew that was a load of crap. I was simply feeding my addiction for one last time.

I lay back on the bed, resting my head on my arms and doing some deep thinking. Crazy scenarios flew threw my head. I was entertaining the thought of putting myself in danger in hopes that Edward would come for me. Giving my unlucky track record, I wasn't so sure that was the best option. My head was still cloudy from my emotional dam bursting and I wasn't coming up with anything concrete. I blinked heavily and tried to picture where Edward would spend his last night in Forks if it wasn't with his family.

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I was back in the meadow again.

I watched with horror as Edward walked away from me, his back turned as he moved closer and closer to the dark forest. I crumpled to the ground again…just like I had seen myself do a hundred times. This time was different. This time I couldn't watch him disappear one more time. I tried to yell for him, but no sound came out. My anger grew as he moved farther and I used all my energy into screaming for him, my muscles straining. Still no sound was heard, and he was almost gone now.

I didn't move, but I was suddenly standing. I felt a wave of calmness sweep over me like a warm breeze. My eyes closed for just a second and then opened with new clarity. The sun was shining in our meadow now and I watched as it moved towards Edward's retreating form. When the first few rays reached him, I lowered my voice to a whisper. "Edward." In that one word I poured my every ounce of love for him. One word told the story of my heart, and the whisper traveled up the meadow and to the one who was everything to me. I felt my smile return, a real smile, as he stopped and slowly turned to me. His skin burst into a million sparkles as he faced me. Rainbows bounced off his skin and sparkled between us like the light from a million crystals. My smile turned into a grin as his own lips turned up in his devastating smirk. It was like he had waited for me to say his name like that, and now I had finally done so and he was back. He floated over the grass and my locked legs began moving to meet him. When he reached me he cupped my cheek tenderly. "You don't know how long I have waited for you…" His whisper followed me out of my dream as I shot up in bed, gasping. It was morning, and I felt my stomach drop. I accidentally slept through the night, and I may have missed my one chance to find Edward before he was gone out of my life forever.

My cell phone was ringing on my nightstand and I hastily reached for it, knowing who it was before I checked the ID. "Alice." I breathed into the phone.

"Bella! You need to get up right now! I had a vision and I know where Edward is. He is no longer sure he wants to leave and you need to go…."

"Alice!" I raised my voice, not caring if I woke Charlie or not. "I know where he is." I smiled and my face muscles felt odd at the sensation. My heart pounded in my chest, but this time it wasn't as painful. I ripped the covers off my legs and stumbled out of bed and to my closet, reaching in for the first thing I laid my hands on while clutching the phone to my ear.

"Alice….let me speak to Emmett."

**I gave you angst, and I hope you don't kill me for the non-reunion in this chapter, but ya'll know its coming! So I gave you a little hope at the end. I hope you enjoyed this chapter even though Edward doesn't make an appearance. It was very difficult to write. I am anxious for the next chapter too, so don't be surprised if you find another posted soon! The next chapter will probably be the last one…for now!**

**Oh, and I blame you all for my butt getting larger…I have given up the gym for three days in a row because I wanted to write instead…haha!**

**I listened to Broken by Lifehouse (I have loved them for YEARS) when I wrote the last part of this chapter… it just fit in my opinion. I listen to music whenever I write so I think that's why the ending was so hopeful. **

**Oh, and just in case you haven't yet read it PLEASE read angstgodess003's story Wide Awake. It has almost 6000 reviews and I re-read it ALL the time. She has an awesome playlist for her story (I stole some songs from her list…great stuff) and there is also a Livejournal community dedicated to her story. I hope that she updates soon because that story is my personal brand of heroin!**


	25. Chapter 23

**Listen to these songs while you read for the full experience (it's what I listened to while I wrote it) **

"**Storm" by Lifehouse *shivers* (**_**I can just imagine Bella running through the woods to find Edward.)**_

"**Everything" by Lifehouse **

"**Your Guardian Angel" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (a classic for pretty much any Bella/Edward story.)**

**Less talk, more reading.**

**Disclaimer: For one more time…I don't own it. But I may borrow it again.**

Chapter 23- Final Chapter

I barely saw the trees out the window as we passed them; instead I saw every mile marker creep by. After Emmett gave me a very mean glare, I quit asking him to "step on it". The Jeep's engine was already protesting at the speed it was being pushed. My overnight pack was sitting the in back seat. I didn't know what would happen after this morning, but I wanted to be prepared no matter what. Honestly, the pack was for the best case scenario…as far as I am concerned if this went badly, I could care less about wilderness survival.

Emmett immediately agreed to drive me to the trailhead. Apparently Alice told him where Edward was spending his last hours in Forks and now he was going to get me pointed in the right direction. On the drive over, I told him what I remembered. He looked surprised at the amount of details I gave him, but that day with Edward would forever be imprinted on my brain. I described the angle of the sun, the time that it took us to get there, the campsite that we stayed at…anything and everything that could get me to Edward.

My foot tapped nervously, but my driver was smart not to comment. I felt myself being pulled, like someone was tugging at something deep in my chest. The sensation grew stronger as we parked near the familiar entrance to the trail. The snow crunched under my feet as I jumped out of the vehicle, barely waiting for it to stop moving. Emmett was instantly beside of me, taking my pack and slinging it over his broad shoulders. He looked at me with a grin…a real, Emmet-style grin. I had missed it. "We are in a bit of a hurry, squirt. Care for a ride?" His large arms came up and I didn't hesitate to jump right into his embrace.

Emmett held me close as we sped along the trail. What took me hours to travel before we made in less than a minute. Emmett set me down and I steadied myself against a tree. The snow was in patches this deep in the woods, only piling on the ground in areas where the tree cover was not as thick. I took my pack from him and he secured all the belts and buckles for me. Emmett bent down to look at me in the eyes. "You sure you don't want me to take you there?" I gave him a reassuring smile. "Thanks, but I really need to be alone for this." Emmett nodded and then stood, giving me a hearty pat on the back…I barely managed to keep upright. "Alright squirt, just head northeast for about 5 miles and you should be at least close to him. If you don't see the area at that point, turn back but in a more westerly direction and just repeat that pattern until you find it. And Carlisle said to keep that hand clean or he will be very disappointed in you."

I repeated his instructions to show that I understood them and then gave him a

smirk, "What? No satellite phone? No flare guns in case I need you?" Emmett smiled back at me, but this time there was a note of seriousness behind his words. "Bella, I have full confidence in your ability to take care of yourself out here." I tried not to cry at his praise. He seemed to sense the emotional overflow coming, and quickly shrugged. "And if I don't here from you by tomorrow afternoon, I am bringing a search party to look for you." We both laughed. "I think that's a good idea, Emmett. Thanks…for everything." With one last bear-hug, he dashed off back down the trail. I turned northeast, looking at my map to note my position. I clutched the compass in my good hand and gently flexed my bad hand. I still felt the pain of the open wounds from my breakdown yesterday, but the thick gloves I wore kept the cold air from irritating it further. I pulled my black knit cap lower over my ears and wished I would have brought a hair-tie as the wind blew my brown locks around my face. After pulling on the straps of my pack again, I realized I was stalling. I was about to embark on a very important hike…one that would change my life forever. I was ready to get Edward back. I was ready to do anything to be with him, even if that meant remaining human. I wanted to spend eternity with him, but if a human life-time was all I could have, then I would gladly take it.

I took my first step towards my future. I was coming back out of these dark, Washington woods with Edward…or I wasn't coming back at all.

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**EPOV**

I stood still for hours, days maybe. I saw the sun move across the sky at various points, but I didn't mark its passage with any sense of time. I stared at the snow-covered grass, green blades peaking defiantly through the cold covering. I stared at the small purple bloom pushing its way towards the sun. My eyes didn't close for a second, my breath didn't move in my chest. The animals of the forest moved around me, running only when the cold wind brought my scent towards them. The ancient trees surrounding me moved more than I did.

My mind was the only thing in motion. When I stared at the persistent purple flower, I saw her beautiful face. When I held my breath, I held in the memory of her powerfully alluring scent. I saw us embracing in the meadow, telling each other of our love. I saw Bella twirling around, so care free…then asking me to do the one thing that could possibly destroy her innocence forever. I also saw myself, caving under her pleading to change her. Finally, I saw the look on her face when she knew that I was going to agree…I had never seen a smile so bright.

As long I as stood there, unmoving…I could still be with Bella.

I wasn't ready to leave.

I didn't know how to exist without her. I knew I didn't really even exist before her. I had been created for Bella, and I am the thing that was most dangerous for her.

I will never forget the way she looked when I found her in the woods that night.

_If it wasn't for the slow fluttering of her heart, I would have thought I was too late. We had found James moments earlier, ravaged and burned. It was almost too easy to dispose of him. I read his thoughts, trying to get an idea of what happened with Bella. His dark thoughts were clouded with pain and anger. I saw flashes of his hands on Bella's throat, on her back as he tossed her carelessly away…I blanked out in utter agony for one moment. I also felt his shock as he realized she had thrown a burning log at him, allowing her to flee. I couldn't help but feel proud of her initiative._

_I knew she had been close, her scent had been getting stronger as we moved deeper into the forest. But her scent was also being masked by the overwhelming scent of wolves. The pack was close and I became more frantic to protect her from the new threat now that James was detained. I moved into the clearing, following the mixed scent. I scanned the area for any threats and then I heard the one sound that could always break my already dead heart. I heard my Bella's small whimper._

_She was huddled next to a small stream. Her dark brown eyes were locked on to me and I felt my lips whisper her name. Within a second I was kneeling next to her. She was almost as cold as I was, her poor body battered and bruised. When I saw her burned hand and heard her cry of pain, I wanted to weep. This was my fault. She should have never been exposed to such a harsh world. She should have been at home with her father or having a movie-night with Angela, not fighting for her life on the frigid woods._

_I kept my eyes on her face as she warmed by the fire. I barely registered the fact that the wolves were not a threat, that they in fact protected Bella. Granted, they probably would have attacked any vampire that came near their land, but I knew that I would be thanking them personally, especially one in particular._

_While Bella slept in Carlisle and Esme's bed, I made my decision. She would never be in danger again because of me. I refused to be the reason why she ended up broken again. I felt a part of myself die as I kissed her for the last time. Her deep brown eyes were filled with concern…and love. I put all the love I felt for her into my gaze as I walked away from her. I knew she would be crushed when I didn't come back, but she would survive. I wasn't so sure about myself._

The family backed me, but I knew they would. Alice fought with me at first, but then sadly resigned when I wouldn't back down. Emmett wouldn't even look at me and Esme looked as if she had lost a daughter. At first I thought it would be enough that I left Forks, but after seeing the devastation my decision caused my family, I convinced them to go with me. We would move to Alaska and I would ask Alice not to look after Bella's future once we left. I convinced her that it would be best for everyone, and I couldn't be around the family with visions of Bella all the time. I tried not to think about my future. It took everything I had not to run to Italy as soon as I walked out of Bella's life. I wasn't sure I wouldn't go there at some point, the misery would probably take over me as soon as I moved from this spot. But I knew when that decision was made, Alice would know and find a way to stop me. So for now, I just stood in the middle of the meadow that reminded me of the happiest point of my life.

I never imagined a pain worse than when Carlisle changed me. The three long days of unimaginable burning from the inside out were pure agony, something I could never wish on anyone. Somehow, that pain was harder to recall in this moment. Staring at the purple flower in the snow, I felt a pain that overshadowed those three days by a thousand times. I couldn't make myself take that first step out of Forks, out of her life. Would I come back? Maybe someday in the distant future, just to see if she was happy? I couldn't. I knew once I left I would be leaving forever.

Then my life will become nothing but a set of lies.

I would lie and tell myself that she had moved on and she would be happy, when I could be horribly wrong.

I would lie and tell my family that I was moving on, that I wasn't going to hold onto the memory of Bella for the rest of my damned life, however long that may be.

I would lie….I might as well because the past century had been a lie. I went day by day telling myself I was living my life when really my life began that day in woods when I saw my angel.

How one small human could trigger a spark inside my cold, dead heart…I would never understand. The only thing I did know was that I would never be the same after seeing her for the first time. I couldn't fathom why she was never afraid of me, even though I had given her every reason to be. By some miracle, she stayed with me even after she knew what I was. I told her I was a monster, and I was right. Only a monster would have kept her in this maddening world of vampires and werewolves. Once my family leaves, she will not be in anymore danger from unnatural creatures. She would find love again and live a normal human life.

And then she would die, like humans are supposed to. And I knew that when that moment happened, I would feel it…and my life would also be over. I never wanted anything more than to keep her by my side until the world ends…to be with my love forever. She told me many times with her words and her pleading looks that she wanted that as well. For that brief period of time that I had let my walls down, moved past the fear, I rejoiced. I began to see our life together. It's as if I began channeling Alice, I was seeing visions of our future.

And it was beautiful.

I felt my throat tighten painfully, but not in thirst. An anguished moan was trying to push its way out of me. I held it back, trying to maintain the connection to my memories for a little while longer. I felt my foot shift as if it had a mind of its own. It came to my immediate attention that my body wasn't shifting to run away from Forks. My mind was at war with my body and with what was left of my heart. I shifted ever so slightly, my eyes still locked on that flower. I knew what I was trying to do and I was slowly losing the fight I had warred with myself over the past several days. While my mind was telling me to flee, to leave a place so painfully bittersweet, my heart was already going somewhere else.

My heart was going back to Bella.

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**BPOV**

I pushed past thick hanging ferns and stopped to catch my breath. I had been walking several miles already. After walking five and not finding the meadow, I had backtracked like Emmett said and now I continued in a more westerly direction. I knew I was getting close. It wasn't because the trees were looking familiar, or my sense of direction had become super-humanly keen all of the sudden…no, it was because the tugging around my heart was stronger. I could practically feel Edward now. It was like he was reaching out with his hand and pulling me to him.

I stood up straight and continued through the leaves and patches of snow, checking my position and direction on the map clutched in my gloved hand. If my feet were getting cold, I didn't notice. I knew my nose was cold and red, but I stopped focusing on that a long time ago. I was close to Edward, and I could only hope that when he realized I was here that he wouldn't run away.

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**EPOV**

Why was I still here?

My heart was screaming at me to move. There was a tugging sensation in my chest, urging me to move from my spot. I felt a _need_ beyond the need to feed. I felt a need to be with the one person who could make this life worth existing. I was pushing my conscience aside, not caring about the consequences of my actions. I wanted Bella, and I didn't care how I had to have her.

_No!_ I closed my eyes then, shutting off all my senses to force myself from moving from that spot. I knew once I moved, I would be with Bella within seconds. The temptation was excruciating and I fought with everything I had not to give in. I had to stay away, for Bella's sake. She was what was most important. I couldn't give her what she wanted, so I needed to let her move on. If I went back to her now, I wouldn't be able to walk away again. She would want me to change her, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to resist.

I moved my hands to my face, trying to hold myself together. I was sure insanity was not far from me. I was having wild thoughts and most of them centered on Bella's soul. Carlisle talked to me several days ago when I asked the family to leave Forks. He gave me the same speech that I have heard a thousand times before. He talked about how we couldn't know whether we had souls or not, but that was what faith was all about. I knew he was a religious person, and I do believe there is a heaven and a hell. I knew that I would be one to go to hell. He turned that around on me, telling me that I couldn't have faith in heaven and hell and not have faith that our kind has souls. I had walked out after that, telling myself it was because I didn't believe him. Really, I walked out because I couldn't argue against him….just like I couldn't argue against Bella.

There was no doubt in my mind that she had the most beautiful soul that ever existed. But what about my family? They were all good people. Could I really think that they didn't have a soul? If anyone had one, it would be Carlisle and Esme. Could I really keep telling myself that I didn't have a soul but everyone else did?

I was crumbling under my temptations, and I knew it. I had to leave this meadow if there was any chance of making it out of Forks. I had to get as far away from here as possible and never return. I had made my decision and I needed to stick by it.

I turned and took a step towards the forest, away from Forks and away from any chance I had at happiness.

I took a deep breath in and froze at the achingly familiar scent that washed over me. The tugging in my chest became almost painful. I looked up into the tree-line just in time to see the small figure step out into the clearing. I was frozen again, unmoving….not blinking or breathing. Even my mind had all but shut down. The only thing I was focused on was the breathtaking creature in front of me. In that moment, I had such utter clarification. It was like the fog that covered over me had been lifted and I saw everything more clearly than ever. I couldn't believe that I didn't realize this before. The painfully sweet tugging sensation in my chest…._it was my soul_.

And it had found its mate.

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**BPOV**

I stepped into the clearing, knowing that I had found our meadow and that Edward was here before I even saw him. My heart felt like it would burst from my chest and I reflexively pushed my hand against it. When I saw him standing in the middle of our snow-patched meadow I froze, and thankfully he did the same. I was afraid if I moved or even blinked, he would be gone and I would be alone again. I drank in the sight of him, craving him even more now that he was in front of me. His hair was more disheveled than usual, like he had been running his hands through his bronze locks for a while. The light hue of his skin looked even more translucent than usual against the snowy backdrop. His lips were red, not from the cold but just from his natural beauty. Even from my distant spot, I could see the golden glow from his eyes sweep over me. His face was unreadable, but he wasn't running. I took that small piece of encouragement and forced myself to take the first step towards him.

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**EPOV**

She was so beautiful. I wanted to laugh at the memories I had been pouring over the past several hours…they could not compare to the vision in front of me. Even though she was almost completely covered up, I felt a rush of desire run through me. I forced myself to remain where I was…my mind telling me to run away and my heart telling me to run to her. I focused on her, taking in every detail.

She looked exhausted. I felt my hands twitch, itching to go comfort her. Her eyes had dark shadows underneath them and her cheek bones seemed more prominent. She hadn't been eating, I noticed with a surge of guilt. Her nose matched the redness of her cheeks and I found myself angry that she was out in this cold weather. My anger faded back into desire as her glorious brown hair swirled around her neck and face. I wanted nothing more than to bury my hands into that hair as I kiss her full lips, forever trying to warm them even though I knew it was impossible.

Her expressions changed a hundred times while I stared at her. She looked shocked, relieved, happy, anxious, and…hungry. I felt a moan building inside me again, this time at her obvious desire. Another one of my walls crumbled, but before I could move to her, she took the first step.

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**BPOV**

That one step turned into two, then three…and I continued to place one foot in front of the other. I didn't hear the snow crunching under my feet over the pounding of my heart. I kept my eyes locked onto Edward's as I moved closer, willing him to not run from me. By some miracle he remained where he was, as still as a statue, and just as immortally beautiful as I remembered. When I was within arms reach of him I stopped, staring deep into his eyes. I felt my own tear up and I wished desperately not to break down before anything was even said. My swelling emotions got the better of me though, and one tear escaped and trailed down my icy cheek.

I watched as Edward's eyes followed that tear, his face tightening ever so slightly. I don't think I had fully prepared myself for him to touch me, so when he placed his cool hand against my cheek and wiped my tear away with his thumb, my knees gave out with a sob ripping its way through my chest.

Edward's hands moved to grab my arms, easing me down onto the snowy grass. My knees were getting wet from my kneeling position, but I didn't care. I felt nothing but hope as he unlatched the straps from my pack, letting it fall off my shoulders. I kept my eyes on him, watching him look over me and reveling in his closeness as he kneeled in front of me. He moved his hands back to my shoulders and instead of feeling cold, I felt like I was heated from the contact. His face crumpled slightly and his voice sounded strained.

"Bella."

When he whispered my name, I wanted to throw myself at him and physically force him to stay, though I logically knew that was impossible. Instead I pulled off the glove to my left hand and shakily placed it against his perfect cheek. His eyes closed and he leaned into my palm, releasing one hand off my shoulder to hold my palm against him. He let out an anguished sound, one that tore at my heart. "Edward…" I breathed his name, but I knew he heard me. His amber eyes opened and were heavy lidded as they locked onto me again. I somehow found my courage to speak again. There were so many things I wanted to say, so many things that I rehearsed on my way here. But all those things got lost in the moment, and I barely managed to focus enough to say the one, most important thing to me.

"Edward, I love you."

He took a shaky breath in and I did the same. "Bella," his voice was low and rough, "you have no idea how those words affect me. I love you beyond measure."

"Don't leave," I whispered desperately. His eyes turned painful for a moment and I hurried to keep his thoughts on us. "Please, I will do anything. I…I won't ask you to change me. I will do whatever you ask, just…please….stay with me."

Edward cupped my face gently as I got more emotional. His expression turned to disbelief. "You would stay human, give up immortality?" I nodded, unable to say anything at the look in his eyes. He closed his eyes again and shook his head gently. "It's too dangerous for you, Bella. _I_ am too dangerous for you."

I grabbed his hands and held them tightly within my own. "How can you think that Edward? You could never hurt me."

He didn't look back at my face, but instead looked to my hand, the one that was still gloved. He gently tugged the glove off, exposing my healing skin covered by the gauze glove bandage. I knew where he was going with his thoughts. "Edward, that wasn't your fault. You _saved_ me. If it wasn't for you, I could have died that night."

"You shouldn't have even been in those woods. You shouldn't have been anywhere near our kind."

I was losing him, he was already pulling away, talking himself into believing what he wanted to believe. "You are wrong. James told me that they would have hunted me down anyway and that the only reason they didn't was because you and your family kept me safe. It's not your fault that I…smell the way I do. That doesn't change whether you are with me or not. Don't you see? Even if you weren't in my life, I would still be in danger."

I could tell he didn't know about this particular piece of information. He regarded me carefully, obviously looking to see if I was placating him just to win him over. He must have been satisfied with what he saw, and he knew I was a terrible liar.

"Don't you want a normal life Bella? You could get married to a mortal, have children…experience everything you were meant to experience without being in this other world…"

"None of it means anything without you, Edward. Not this world, not any world….not any life. If you leave, I will be spending every day of my life waiting to die so I can be with you again. No matter what you tell me, I know you have a beautiful soul, and I know I will be with you no matter what." My voice became stronger as I continued. "My life will be incomplete without you, and I don't know if I could even live without you. Being without you for the past week has shown me what the rest of my life will be without you in it. I don't want to go back to that, Edward. Please, don't make me go back there. Stay with me."

He grabbed my shoulders again and I thought he was going to push me away, but instead he pulled me closer. His face was close to mine, so close I could feel his intoxicating breath blow over me. "But you would stay human if I asked you to? You would live as a human?"

"As long as you stayed with me, I would do anything."

"Is it what you truly want?"

I hesitated. "Yes."

He saw right through me. "You are lying."

I dropped my head and more tears escaped. I was desperate to keep him, but he wouldn't stop until I was completely honest with him. "You know what I want. I want to be with you until the end of time, not just for one life. I want to live with you in this world. I know we will be together someday, but I don't want to wait for that day. I want eternity to start now. I want to live _this_ life with you." I took a shaky breath in and I could feel his hands flex on my shoulders. "But if you will stay if I remain human, then I will accept it."

He gently lifted my chin with his fingers, forcing my watery gaze to look into his unreadable one. "You would do that for me? Even though you would never really be happy with my request?" I could only nod, hopeful with the tone of his voice. I tried not to focus on a future with me getting older and him staying just as youthful and perfect for all of time.

Edward leaned in and closed the distance between us, resting his forehead against mine and cupping his hands on the back of my head, knocking off my knit cap. I barely noticed its absence. Edward didn't close his eyes, and neither did I.

"You are too good for me," he whispered quietly. He cut me off when I began to protest. "I know you don't see yourself as I do, but know this, Isabella Swan…you are my everything. If you could feel what I am feeling right now…I am overwhelmed."

I swallowed thickly, holding onto every word he said.

"I love you so much, knowing what you are willing to sacrifice to be with me. I am not sure if I will ever be good enough to measure up to you, but I want to spend the rest of our lives trying." My breath was caught in my chest, hope surging through me. He couldn't have meant what I thought he meant. Was it possible?

"Edward, will you stay? If I agree to stay human will you stay for the rest of my life?"

He pulled back just enough to shake his head slightly and my heart cracked. I felt like I was already dying…and I hoped that I was.

He saw the anguish cross my face and his own fell apart in emotion. "Oh Bella," he whispered, "I can't stay with you if you remain human. That wouldn't be enough for me."

I was confused at his words, biting my lips to try to maintain control long enough to hear him. His lips twitched briefly into a small semblance of a smile as he pulled my lip from my teeth gently, rubbing his thumb across it. "One lifetime is not enough, my love. I need you with me…forever."

I let out my pent up breath and frantically looked into his face. His smiled remained, but his eyes were serious. "If it's still what you want, then be with me until the end of time. I will love you every single day of forever, if you will let me."

Before I woke up from whatever dream I had thrown myself into, I grabbed Edwards face and crashed my lips onto his. He tightened his fingers in my hair and returned my kiss vehemently. I moaned under his wonderful assault and tears flowed freely down my flushed cheeks. I felt his hands trembling as they held me close, and my whole body trembled with him. It was a kiss that rivaled all other kisses, it set my cold world on fire. I didn't want to pull back, but my head was cloudy from the lack of air and the last thing I wanted to do is lose consciousness. My eyes were wide as I searched his face again, willing him to reassure me that what he just said was not a dream.

Edward graced me with a glorious smile, one that reached his sparkling golden eyes. "I am assuming that is a yes?" I nodded vigorously and he crushed me to his chest, standing up and spinning us around. I couldn't help but let out a joyous laugh, my heart was finally back together and my whole body felt alive again. When we stopped spinning Edward kept me in his arms, but pulled back enough to plant his lips on mine again in the sweetest of kisses. His smile faded when he looked at me again, and he reached up with one hand to trace the dark circles under my eyes. "I am so very sorry for putting you through all this." I grabbed his hand and kissed his fingertips, keeping my eyes on his. "You were trying to protect me, Edward. I don't agree with it, but I understand what you were trying to do. Just always remember we are better together than we are apart."

Edward sighed and closed his eyes, sinking to his knees again. This time I remained standing, and he wrapped his arms around my legs and buried his face against my stomach. I delved my fingers into his messy hair, stroking it gently while he overcame his emotions. I knew how he felt. The utter relief of being with him again took my breath away and I felt like I wasn't really there, like I was floating over us and watching everything happen from above. The only thing keeping me upright was Edward's strong arms.

Finally, he came back up to stand with me. This time, there was no pain in his eyes. He was looking at me with complete adoration and desire and I felt dizzy from it. He tucked a lock of hair back behind my ear and moved in for another kiss. I grabbed his ridiculously thin coat and pulled him against me, pressing us as close together as possible. He groaned and wrapped his arms around me, returning the embrace. When his tongue brushed across my lips I couldn't help but whimper. He pulled back suddenly and took a small step back. He stayed close enough to steady me as I wobbled, but I knew that we had pushed our boundaries as far as possible for right now. And I was okay with that. I knew we had all the time in the world to work on those boundaries, and hopefully soon they would not even be an issue. Edward voiced my thoughts, "I can't wait until I can be with you completely." I flushed in excitement and he traced the redness with his fingers, a delighted smile on his face.

"When?" I asked him. He no longer looked pained when I asked him that, just thoughtful. "We should talk to the family, but I think it would be best for everyone if we stuck with the original plan and wait until graduation."

I moaned in frustration, but knew he was right. I needed time to prepare myself to leave my old life behind, and I knew there were things that needed to be done so that the Cullen's were not placed under any suspicion. He chuckled at my expression. "I know, love. It feels like forever for me too. But I will be with you every second that I can. I don't want to let you out of my sight again."

I felt a genuine smile stretch across my face. "I can live with that."

He came close to me again, pulling me into his embrace. I buried my face into his chest, breathing in the scent I had missed so much. "You are freezing." His voice rumbled against my ear. I pulled back and smirked. "Emmett packed up a bunch of supplies, including a sleeping bag for two." Edward's eyes darkened at that, but he chuckled and shook his head. "How did I know that my family was involved in this?" We walked hand in hand over to my forgotten pack and Edward pulled it over his shoulders, the sky around us slowly darkening into twilight. Edward looked at me. "Are you sure you want to stay out here tonight? It will be very cold." I gave him a saucy grin. "Well, I know of this one little spot in the woods…and rumor has it you can build one heck of a campfire." We both smiled, remembering that first night in the forest. Edward quickly scooped me off the ground and into his arms and I shrieked in surprise. He smiled down at me with all the love I could even imagine and then we sped off into the forest and to the spot where we first met.

I couldn't imagine a better place to start our _forever_.

**The End**

**I can't believe it! I did it!**

**What a wonderful journey it has been with this story. I was really reluctant to write anything like this, thinking I couldn't do twilight justice. Thanks to all you guys reading and reviewing! It's because of you that this story got finished, and I hope I gave you a great ending. Without all the encouragement I would have scrapped this story long ago.**

**I am going to start another story soon. When I have a summary I will post it on here and get your opinion. All I know for sure right now is that it will be all-human and much more mature than my other stories. If you prefer to stay away from rated M stuff then you may not like what I write next, but hopefully you will! I may write a sequel to Wilderness at some point, but not until I get some major ideas popping in my head. Right now, I have a ton of ideas, but it's to another story.**

**Do me a favor a review one last time, let me know if they ending was everything you wanted. Again, thank you so much for all of your support!**

**~Jodi**

**Check out my favorites for some really great stories. A couple that I would like to point out: "Healing" by freakyhazeleyes. Great emotional all-human story! It made me cry several times! Also, pretty much anything by bella c'ella luna. They are both awesome writers and those are just a few of who I obsess over. **


	26. New story!

Learn You Inside Out

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Twilight still, but I own my ideas so YAY!**

**AN at the bottom.**

**Warning: Language alert…its rated M for that and other reasons.**

Chapter 1

"So, tell me what makes _you_ qualified to be on the University of Washington's campus, let alone my football team?"

I clenched my hands onto the wooden arms of the chair I was slouched in, barely keeping myself from getting up and walking right back out that door with my middle finger shot in the air. The elderly man seated behind a cluttered desk stared me down and I returned his look. We both knew I was one wrong eye-twitch away from losing out on my last best chance. I needed him, I needed this football team and this college. I needed this new city and this new start.

But here is the kicker…that fat motherfucker behind the desk needed me just as much as I needed him. It was the only reason I was sitting in this office right now.

I managed to keep my insulting comments to myself…barely. I was just waiting for him to give in…they always did. Parents, teachers, coaches….they all caved eventually if you glared at them long enough. This old buzzard just hadn't realized the extent of my determination.

Needless to say, I was shocked as shit to find myself being the reason the coach of the UW Huskies was laughing his ass off. My eyes narrowed in anger as he clutched his gut and leaned back in his chair, the squeaky springs protesting loudly. My fingers dug tighter into the wood and I felt my leg twitch in irritation. Finally he calmed down enough to wipe the tears from eyes and grinned at me. I gave him the full force of my glare, clearly stating my displeasure. _Fuck off Fatty._

"Does that stank-eyed look work on everyone?" He chortled at me. I turned my eyes to the trophy case on the wall behind him. I couldn't read the engravings from here, and they all looked well-taken care of, but the whole sports world knew that those trophies were from many years ago. The Huskies hadn't won so much as a free soda from McDonalds in more years than I care to think about. It physically hurt me to enter this office in hopes that I will walk out wearing a Husky jersey.

My attention was brought back to the amused coach. He had opened a thick folder that had been centered in the chaos of his desk. I didn't need to look at the label to know it was my records.

And they weren't thick with all kinds of academic awards. There wasn't enough room for that with all the criminal records stacked in it.

"Let me tell you what makes you qualified. We need a quarterback." He stated this simply and resolutely. There was no sugar-coating and no working around it nicely. I snorted at his statement of the obvious and he smirked at me. "Yeah, there is no big secret about that, son. Now what we have here is a thing I like to call a symbiotic relationship."

I waited for him to continue in his southern drawl, clenching my jaw at his patronizing tone and hoping to God he didn't call me "son" again. He leaned forward in his chair, folding his large hands over my file. "You and I both know that this is your one shot to get back in the game. It took a little bit of convincing and a lot of my aged Scotch to convince the Dean to let you even set foot in this office today.

"Here is how I see it: you want to be a football player and I want to see my boys through a winning season before I retire. In order to get what we both want, you are going to be on a short leash."

"How short?" I bit out. My voice sounded strange in the quiet room after listening to him for so long. To give the old man credit, he didn't even flinch at my tone. "You will get to play football and get your athletic scholarship, but you are going to be second string until I say otherwise."

I shot up out of my seat then, afraid if I didn't I would leave marks on the arms of it. I paced the small office, _extremely _pissed off. I let some curses fly out as I waited for the red haze of anger to leave my vision. The voice of Coach Meyers cut through the office. "Look here Cullen, I may need a quarterback, but what I _don't_ need is to bring a huge embarrassment to this athletic department. You can be sure if you screw up again, I am not going down without bringing you with me." It was the first time I have heard him speak harshly, and it made me pause long enough in my pissed off ranting to focus on him. The coach pointed to my vacated chair. "Now, either sit the hell down and listen to the terms or walk out the door and quit wasting my damn time!"

I thought about walking out the door. I even took a step towards it. _Fuck it_. I was ready to leave. Before I could take another step, I thought about what my life would be like once I slammed that door. My grades weren't anywhere close to get me back into a decent college. No one else would let me on their team after I had been expelled from my previous university. And I had no work experience…all my life had been spent preparing for college. Endless football practices filled my memory, and it would have all been a waste. I held onto the memory of the last touchdown pass I threw and had the crowd on their feet, cheering and chanting my name. That memory made me plant one foot in front of the other back to the chair I had previously occupied. I sat in it again, this time leaning forward to rest my elbows on my thighs. I raked a hand through my hair and waited for coach to continue.

I was surprised to see a small smirk back on his round face. "Alright then. Here are the terms. No big surprise, but your grades will have to be brought up and kept up. I mean _really_ up." I lifted my eyebrows at him.

"Think 'dean's list' kind of up," he answered my silent question.

I huffed out a breath and rolled my eyes. Perfect.

"You will have to submit to random drug tests. If you pop for any kind of illegal substances or if you refuse a drug test, that's an automatic dismissal from the team. That goes for anyone in the athletic department. If you are caught drinking underage or driving under the influence when you _do_ become of age, you are out of here."

My hand moved wearily over my face, feeling the scruff stubble that needed to be shaved off days ago. I wasn't surprised at the list of demands so far. Hell, I expected at least this much.

"Any questionable behavior either on or off the field can send you packing, Cullen. That brings me to your housing situation. Now, from what the Dean tells me you are no longer well funded enough to live in a private apartment?"

"You could say that." What an understatement. My rich-as-shit parents cut me off the day I got slapped in handcuffs. I was at the mercy of my savings account and scholarship funding.

"Well after discussing it with the head-honcho, I have two choices for you. One, you live in a dorm room. You will have a private room, but you will be subject to random room searches and Dorm Advisor meetings. Basically, you will be under constant staff surveillance."

"Fuck no." I laid it out to him in a dead-pan voice. There was no way in hell I am living under a microscope.

He didn't even blink at my profanity. "I had a feeling you would say something like that. Your other option is to live off campus in a co-ed house with four of your peers. You will have your own room and the scholarship covers the basic costs of living in these types of houses. The catch is you will be watched there as well, but it will be by a teammate. Now, this kid is a good egg, but he got himself in a sticky situation. His place on the team is resting on how well he reports to me. You will be expected to assist around the house with chores and what-not as needed and be the model housemate for these kids. Your teammate will have full access to your room as well, so either way you are going to have to watch yourself closely."

I tossed his proposal around. The dorm idea was my version of hell, so that was not an option. Living in a co-ed house off campus definitely sounded like the ideal solution, but the thought of having a teammate watch over me made my skin crawl. I knew how easy it was to have someone stab you in the back and lay you under a bus. Either way I was going to be hovered and watched like a hawk. I didn't like either one of those choices, but I selected the lesser of two evils.

"I'll take the house."

The coach grinned. "I thought you might. You stick with these rules and we will have one hell of a season. Now, get your butt down to the practice field. The assistant coaches are down there with the boys already. Emmett McCarty will be one of your housemates and he will show you around the facility."

I nodded and stood, my entire body aching from the tension. I was itching to get out on the field again. My muscles hummed in anticipation. I grabbed the door knob but a grunt from the coach stopped me. When I turned back to him he threw a purple and white jersey at me. I held it up and read the back. Above the number seventeen was my name patch.

**E. Cullen**

I looked at the coach again to see him smirking. "I gave you a new number, figured it would go good with your fresh start here." His face turned serious once more. "Don't screw this up, Cullen."

My anger over the entire situation was still humming through me, so I simply nodded instead of speaking and pushed the door open roughly. I let out a curse as the door slammed into something and bounced back to hit my head. I peered around the door to see a short brunette sitting on the floor where she obviously fell. She was looking up at me in shock and holding her hand over her hip. I took a moment to appreciate her attributes: long brown hair pulled back from her face, large matching brown eyes, pale skin, decent rack. It was easy to see she was small but toned due to the lack of cloth covering her body. She was wearing some sort of blue sports bra and matching spandex pants. Nice.

All positive thoughts of her flew out of my head when I saw the purple and silver pom poms spilling out of her bag. A cheerleader….fucking great. Not many other things annoyed me more than giggling, air-brained, bouncy blow-up dolls. I learned real quick from the last college I attended that they were nothing but perks for the athletic team, and once their welcome wore out they were useless. My eyes narrowed down at her. "Try not to walk next to closed _fucking_ doors." I spit out the profanity, watching her face blanch in surprise. I didn't wait for her poor little mind to try to come up with a response. I took a giant step over her prone form and started walking to the double doors leading out of the building. A small voice teemed in indignation called out behind me. "Maybe _you_ should try getting a life, creep!" I ignored her outburst, my mind was already on the field, and I followed the stadium lights shining brightly in the night air.

_**B**_

I sat on the floor, waiting for my heart rate to return to normal and my face to quit flaming. I was furious! How dare that arrogant bastard just step over me and stomp out of the building after slamming a door into me! Granted, I probably shouldn't have been walking so close to the office doors and I definitely should have been paying more attention to the area in front of me. I was always looking down at my feet, a habit I developed when I was little and had carried with me all of my twenty years. Unfortunately, checking to make sure my feet were okay all the time usually left my other body parts open for danger.

So maybe the door was not totally his fault. He did slam it open, but I practically walked into it anyways. Now I am sitting open-mouthed on the cold tile floor, holding a hand over what I am sure will be one ugly bruise on my hip. The guy who practically stormed through the double doors was not familiar, but obviously had some sort of affiliation with one of the athletic teams. Why else would he be coming out of Coach Meyer's office? Not to mention he undoubtedly had the body made for sports. In the brief moment I spent gawking at him from my floor view, I couldn't help but appreciate the fact he was easy on the eyes. If I wasn't so angry at him, I would have thought his rumpled, to-hell-with-the-world, scruffy-faced look absolutely endearing. As it was, I hoped I never had to encounter any part of that miserable excuse for a human again.

The door to the coach's office opened again, but this time slower and no where near hitting me. Coach Meyer glanced out and then moved his gaze to me, still on the floor. "Isabella Swan? Now what in the heck are you doing on the floor girl?" He reached a large hand out and I gratefully accepted. When I was on my feet I thanked him and blushed further at another person catching me on my rear. "Sorry coach, I kind of got knocked down and needed to wallow in my embarrassment for a second." I gave him a bashful smile and he chuckled at me. I always loved hearing him laugh, it was what I imagined my grandfather's laugh would sound like, if I had one.

"Well according to that clock you are running a little late for practice, so you better get going." I checked the clock he was referring to and swore under my breath. I waved back at his amused expression as I carefully jogged down the corridor. The steady thumping of music reached my ears long before I got to the door of the warm-up room. I pushed opened the door and the music escalated in volume, but not so much that it was unbearable. I saw that everyone had already started, dressed in the similar outfits to me and sitting on the wooden floor facing a mirror. All heads came up from their stretch to look at me. I gave them all an apologetic smile and threw my bag down before rushing over to join them. Not long after I joined the stretching routine I heard a loud clap and a musical voice call over the noise of the stereo. Our small, dark-haired leader stood smiling in front of us. "Alright ladies! We are going to start from the beginning today since some of you are new to the team this year. We already have our routine worked out for the first few games of the season, but we still need some fine tuning so those of you who are veterans, stick with the rest of us. We can all use the practice."

The music took over the room again and I stood as the girl approached me. I smiled at Alice, already rolling my eyes at the reaction she will have when I told her why I was late. "Bella! What was the holdup?" Alice was a regimented leader of the Husky dance team, but she also happened to be one of my best friends, so I didn't take her chastisement to heart. She scanned over my ensemble quickly and nodded approvingly. She _should_ approve, she laid the outfit out for me before we left our house this morning. I was more of a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl, but when that little pixie got a hold of me, there was no arguing.

I waited for my other best friend and roommate to approach us before I launched into my rant. Rosalie Hale was the essence of perfection. All guys (and some girls) wanted her and all girls definitely wanted to _be_ her. Her long blonde hair was pulled back in a functional ponytail, but I knew once practice started it would be out and flowing down her shoulders. Alice insisted that the last few practices before the game we have our hair down, like we would during the actual performance. That also explains the utterly naked feeling I had walking around in a sports bra. Our dance uniforms had just about as much material as my current outfit did, and we all had to make sure that nothing popped out that shouldn't pop out when we did our elaborate moves.

When both of my friends stood with me I told them of my encounter in the hallway. As expected, Rosalie clenched her hands into fists and her blue yes flashed with anger. "Who the hell does he think he is? The least he could have done was apologize and help you up!" Alice didn't look too pleased either, but she had a speculative look on her face as well, as if her mind was only partially focused on our conversation. I learned not to question that look over the years and to just go with it.

Rosalie continued to fume. "You just point him out! I will….I will…"

I smirked at her, "You will what? Beat him up?"

Alice and I waited for her to calm down. Rosalie had been in trouble a lot as a kid for getting into fights…and winning them. Since college, she has worked hard to control her anger and turn it into more productive outlets, like dancing and working on cars. So far, her record has been clean. Rosalie closed her eyes and let out a breath. "No, I won't beat him up." Her eyes opened and a saucy smile flitted on her lips. "But Emmett will."

I shook my head and laughed at that. I had no doubt in my mind that my surrogate big brother, Rosalie's long-term boyfriend, would take great pleasure in throttling whoever dared mess with me. However, Emmett was being watched very carefully and the last thing he needed was to lose his place on the team over some jerk.

"Its okay guys, thanks, but I will just ignore him if I ever see him again. I am sure someone of his nature would find lack of attention more unbearable than a smack-down."

Alice nodded sagely, "Sure, sure. But this means that I will have to break out the big guns on makeup if that bruise isn't gone by the game." I looked down to the hip she was pointing a perfectly manicured nail at and groaned. It was already blooming with lovely purple and black colors. Wonderful.

Alice should just buy stock in the makeup company she uses…she is frequently using up all of our supplies to cover up my many bruises. Rosalie just rolled her eyes at me before dragging me over to the rest of the group lining up for the first routine. "I will never understand how you are so damn graceful when you dance, but so damn clumsy when it comes to something simple like walking."

I didn't argue with her, or even pretend to take offense to it. I had come to terms with my bizarre way of life a long time ago. For some reason the only time I was able to not be a walking disaster was when I was dancing. As long as I was lost in movements, I was able to be graceful enough to stay on the university's dance team…as long as I could stay out of the emergency room. My female house-mates and I all needed the scholarship money from being on the dance team.

Rosalie and Alice were the only family I had, and I had convinced myself that they were the only family I could ever want. I had lived with Alice since I was twelve and Rosalie was at our house so often she practically lived there too. They were my sisters in every way that counted. Emmett and Rosalie started dating in high school and we all knew it was just a matter of time before they finally tied the knot. Emmett was the only man I truly trusted and he was the best surrogate big brother I could ever ask for.

I stood in the line of dancers, there was a dozen of us in total. We were not cheerleaders, but we definitely drew a bigger cheering section at all the games. National dance competitions were not far from our mind, but right now we were concentrating on getting ready for the football season. Dancing was calming for me and I have been told that I am very good at it, but the UW Husky's dance team is as far as I care to take my dancing career. I was on the team in high school and that lead to my scholarship here in college. I was not a dance major, much to my peer's dismay. Instead I was majoring in English and wanted the peaceful solitude of a career as a writer.

Only my good friends knew why I danced but why I couldn't make a future from it. Rose and Alice were great at keeping me as comfortable as possible while on the team and since Alice was a Design major, she was the one who created all of our dance costumes. She absolutely refused to "skank out" like our cheerleader counterparts tended to do with their barely-there uniforms. Thanks to that, there were very little times that I had to wear revealing outfits. It was bad enough I had to dance in front of very large crowds. We usually wore pants with all of our costumes and the only time I put up a fight was when we wore our halter tops that revealed a lot more of my stomach and cleavage than I liked, but I always caved. It was the least I could do after all they had done for me.

The music started over and we dove right into the routine for the first game. I bounced back on my heels and swung my arms out, letting my hair fly about my face and slowly fell into my comfort zone and forgetting the stranger with the haunting green eyes.

_**E**_

The lights on the field illuminated the turf like it was the middle of the day, and not actually twilight. I took a moment to breathe in the scent of the grass and the sound of bodies clashing together. The cool fall air blew through my hair and whipped my t-shirt around my body. Now _this_ was my heaven.

My anger simmered down to a manageable level. I knew I overreacted in the coach's office. I deserved far worse than the house arrest he has sentenced me to. I knew I was the luckiest bastard in the world to be given another chance to play again. I also knew I had a lot of work in front of me, both off and on the field. I needed to keep my grades up and my nose clean, but I also only got this chance because of my skills as a quarterback and I was useless without them.

The practice field was littered with equipment and players. By the looks of the sweat-stained jerseys, practice was almost over. I saw the freshmen quarterback practicing down field with a select few receivers. I rolled my eyes at his passes, the ball wobbling precariously in the short time it was in the air. If this is the guy I am supposed to be second string to, the team was screwed.

A whistle blew in the middle of a swarm of defensive players. A line of them had just pushed the sled impressively fast across the grass. My mood lifted slightly as I saw the defense work together. If the Husky's offense came together like their defense obviously was, then there just may be a chance of a winning season. The players bounced up and turned to the coach for their next exercise. I saw the defensive coach turn to one large player and then point in my direction. The dark-haired guy glanced over at me, then said something else to the coach before jogging away from the group. The rest of the defense continued their exercises as who I assumed to be my new jailer approached me. This guy was friggen huge! I was no short-fry myself…but _damn_. He had a wide smile on his face and an outstretched hand as he stepped up to me. I immediately became wary. People just aren't nice right off the bat usually, especially to me. I reached my hand out to clasp his, but didn't return the smile. It didn't seem to bother him. "You must be Eddie." His booming voice didn't make me wince, but the misuse of my name did. "Edward. I am guessing you are my nanny?"

He laughed at that. "Emmett McCarty. I don't plan on being your nanny or any shit like that, but I will lay it out for you straight." We started walking along the sidelines of the field and I felt all eyes on me. I saw the sour looks on the other player's faces as the "new guy" pissed on their property. I returned their stares with the meanest glare I could give them. If that's how they wanted to play it….

"Here's the deal dude. I am in a…shall we say…difficult position with the coach and staff right now. I had a little indiscretion recently and now my ass rests on keeping you in line long enough to get a decent season."

"What did you do?" I had to know. Maybe I wasn't the only messed up freak around here.

"I got caught with my pants down."

"What did you get caught doing?" I asked impatiently, not caring if I was being rude or not. Enough with the vague shit.

Emmett laughed again. "No…I _literally_ got caught with my pants down. My girlfriend and I tend to get carried away sometimes. She is on the dance team and man, the ways she can bend…" I waved him off to keep from getting more than I bargained for out of this conversation. "This time it was in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the coach's desk to be exact."

I choked out something that resembled laughter. I had forgotten how to actually laugh a long time ago, but the thought of the coach walking in on a campus porno in the making was entertaining as hell.

Emmett continued, "Oh that wasn't the worst part. We certainly didn't expect company, but we _really_ didn't expect the dean to have a meeting with coach that afternoon and get a front row seat. The guy wanted me off the team that second, but coach convinced him to let me stay on and he would make sure I stayed in line."

"And your girlfriend?"

"Her best friend is the captain of the dance team, so all she had to do was buy the girls a round at the bar."

That's life for you.

We continued to tour the practice area. I wouldn't be seeing the stadium until tomorrow night's practice. The game was this Saturday and I would be spending it on the bench. The worst feeling in the world is getting ready for a game and not being able to play a single second of it. I didn't care if I was going to hell or not…I wished the starting quarterback would fall off a fucking bridge by Saturday.

Emmett rambled on about who to watch out for on the team and who didn't care about my personality as long as I could throw a ball. After he cleaned up in the locker room and I found my new locker we started for the parking lot. "We don't live far from campus. Did you drive here?" I nodded to him and pointed at my silver Volvo sitting under a bright streetlight. Emmett whistled appreciatively. "Nice." I shrugged. It was the only thing of value I still owned. The title had been in my name from day one, so there wasn't too much of a stink about taking it with me when my parents kicked me out. Everything I owned was piled in the backseat.

I drove Emmett to our new house. I knew I could easily walk to the practice field from the house, which made my life a lot easier. I stood in the driveway for a second, taking in the large two-story structure that would be my home for the foreseeable future. It was painted the ugliest shade of…pink? Beige? It was hard to tell in the dim light of the front porch, but the blue shutters clashed with whatever color it was. I must have winced because Emmett sighed. "Yeah, it ain't much to look at, but rent is cheap and the inside is cool and it's got a huge deck in the back." I didn't even try to keep positive. I could give a shit less if Martha friggen Stewart was in the kitchen baking cookies and half-naked chicks were tapping a keg in the bathroom…the place was still depressing to me.

I jerked my bags out of the trunk and Emmett silently grabbed a few boxes from my backseat. He pushed open a side door that led into the brightly lit kitchen. I was surprised to see it pretty much immaculate. It was a far cry from the hazardous waste area of my last dwelling. Of course, it probably helps if your roommates aren't potheads. The living room was huge and, to my man-delight, was decked out in the latest and greatest of entertainment electronics. A flat-screened TV took up most of the area above the fireplace and I saw speakers placed strategically around the room, especially around the large sectional couch. Video gaming systems were stacked up on one shelf next to the fireplace and a large collection of movies took up the other shelf. There was another futon couch pushed up against the wall near the French doors and what looked like a dog crate propped up next to it.

I narrowed my eyes at that.

"No one cared to mention pets."

Did this guy ever _not_ smile? "Yeah, there is one dog here. Is that a problem? You allergic or something?"

"No, not allergic. Me and pets just don't mix."

"Aww don't worry. You will like this one. Just don't be surprised if it takes him a while to warm up to you. And I wouldn't try to pet him or anything until he does."

I didn't know if he was kidding or not, but he didn't have to worry about me touching the damn thing.

Emmett pushed open the French doors. "And here we have my second favorite spot in the house." The deck _was_ huge, he was right about that. Matching patio furniture was placed along the deck and in the corner a glass table-top bar sported a large blue umbrella. Tiki torches were at every corner and from what I could tell in the dim light, the back yard was a decent size. I nodded, impressed despite of myself.

"Dude, I am glad that you are moving in because we are in serious lack of testosterone around here." He shut the doors to the porch and we moved to a closed door off to the side of the living room, next to the stairs. "Even after the last guy moved out, the living room was still considered the 'Man Room'. It got harder to keep it that way when I was greatly outnumbered, but the girls have their own room to keep them happy." He pushed open the door and flipped on the light. This room was easily as large as the living room it was parallel to, but the lack of furniture made it seem bigger. There were full-length mirrors along one wall and a stack of work out mats piled up on the other. A decent stereo rested on the one shelf in the room and the only decorations in the room were various pictures framed along the otherwise empty walls. I didn't care enough to look too closely at the pictures.

"This is a good warm-up room if you need to stretch out or whatever, but if they are in here working then you better not even knock unless it's an emergency." He had a note of tension in his voice, and I almost laughed thinking about three girls scary him out of their domain. "So all of them are on the dance team?"

"Alice is the captain, she is the hyper one. If you fix coffee in this house you better go with decaf…or hide it. Trust me. My girlfriend, Rosalie, is the co-captain. She's got a bit of a temper," he winced while he was making that comment, "but just stay out of the garage and you should be fine." Before I got a chance to ask him to elaborate on that, we were moving up the stairs. "Bella is….well she is the best of all of us. She is quiet and keeps to herself a lot of times." I was half-listening to him until he stopped in the hallway and abruptly turned to face me. His expression was dark and I unconsciously tensed up in reaction. "Look man, I will stay out of your shit as much as possible. But there is one thing you need to understand clearly. If you mess with any of my girls, you are done…and I don't mean just done with the team." I almost rolled my eyes, but something told me that would have earned me a meeting with his very large fists. One of those fists came up to point a finger at me. "But that goes double for Bella. You just need to keep away from her as much as you can. If you upset her in any way, you will have this whole household rain down on you. Bottom line: _Don't. Fuck. With. Bella._"

I started getting a little fucking defensive at this point. I dropped my bags down and pulled myself up to my full height. "I may not have the best damn reputation on the planet, but I don't _'mess'_ with girls…unless they request it. So I would appreciate it if you would back the fuck up off me because you don't even _know_ me."

Emmett shrugged. "You're right, I don't know you. I don't really give a damn about your past. As far as I am concerned your life started when you took that jersey." He pointed to the shirt laying over my shoulder. "I am giving you the same warning as I would any other guy moving into this house. I don't care if you are a saint, you will still stay away from Bella. If _she_ wants to hang out with you, by all means….have fun! But she is not the kind of girl you can be careless with, so just watch yourself."

He reached out and slapped me heartily on the back and I barely managed not to flinch in surprise. His large smile returned. "Now, enough with the serious shit. Let's move onto the rooms."

Emmett pointed out his and Rosalie's room, Alice's room and Bella's room. I glared at that last closed door when I heard a faint growl come from under it. The last room was mine, but I had to share a bathroom with the two single girls apparently. That ought to be interesting. The room was a decent size and already furnished, surprisingly. "What happened to the last guy?" I wasn't about to stay in a room if there was some sort of murder or some shit in there.

"He was technically a basketball player, but he basically was a glorified bench warmer. He dated Alice for a while, but he got busted getting busy in the back of the team bus with a cheerleader, and Alice went a little nuts on his stuff. We helped her burn his clothes and stuff in the yard while he watched, but we convinced her to leave the furniture. I convinced _him_ that it was in his best interest that he sit there and watch his shit burn like a man, then leave before the fire got, shall we say…out of control."

I chuckled lightly at his story, just imagining Emmett keeping a solid hand on a trembling little pipsqueak as he cried over the pile of ashes that used to be his belongings. I took that as a further warning. _Don't. Fuck. With. The. Girls._

Thankfully, Emmett left me to unpack, saying something about getting quality Xbox time before the girls got home. Most of my boxes were full of cd's and they pretty much took up a whole bookcase against the wall. I glanced at my alarm clock when I was basically finished unpacking and pulled out my cell phone. After two rings a familiar voice picked up. "Hey man! How's the new dungeon?"

"Jazz…I need a drink."

_**B**_

Rose, Alice and I trudged up the few steps into our kitchen. It was fairly late, but Alice is nothing if not determined. The team couldn't leave until we had the routine perfect. We had one more practice tomorrow night before the game, and we will be practicing at the stadium.

"Alice, are we wearing our costumes tomorrow night?" I asked hesitantly.

The pixie-like dancer twirled to the refrigerator and took out three bottles of water and tossed them to us. I don't know what she was thinking. The bottle glanced off my fingers and rolled across the floor. Alice sighed while Rose snickered and skipped out to greet Emmett in the living room. The sounds of some sort of war game carried through the entire house. _Boys and their toys._ Alice picked my water bottle up then gently handed it to me. "Yes, we are wearing our costumes Bella. You know that our last practice is always full costume."

I groaned and she patted me on the head. "I can't wait until the day you see yourself for the beautiful, sexy woman you are." She and I headed for the living room as she continued talking. "Now, the only thing you should be worrying about is not getting that costume dirty or torn before the game. You should take it with you and get dressed right before we hit the field."

"Remind me to get it from your closet tonight. I am going to the library early tomorrow morning and won't have enough time before practice to come back."

Alice gave me a thumbs up and then we pounced onto the fluffy couch next to Rosalie and Emmett, who were currently ignoring the game in favor of a make-out session. I should be used to this by now, but it still made me squirm. Rose broke away from Emmett suddenly and turned to us, leaving poor Emmett dazed looking…lips still puckered.

"Oh! We totally forgot what day it was!" Alice and I looked at each other for some sort of clue as to what she was talking about. Rose jerked her thumb towards her boyfriend. "Emmett brought home our new house-mate."

Oh. Alice and I both blinked, surprised such a thing slipped by us. Alice had been excited about someone new taking over the old room that belonged to "he who shall not be named". I was nervous. I didn't like the idea of having a total _male _stranger in our house, but everyone assured me that one wrong move and he was out. Emmett was supposed to report on this guy pretty much daily to Coach Meyer, so we were all fairly certain he would stay in line. I had been given a brief history of Edward Cullen, but there was probably no athlete in the United States that hadn't heard the stories about him.

Everyone obviously already made their mind up on him. I admit I was having a hard time keeping an open mind myself. Supposedly, he was the star quarterback of the University of Maryland for two years before he took a nose dive. There was a press conference before the second season was even over, confirming that Edward had been arrested for driving under the influence and being in possession of narcotics. That made me not like him right off the bat. My mother had been killed by a drunk driver. I still didn't quite understand how he could be let back into _any_ university.

Alice bounced up and down in her seat. "Is he here? How did he seem? Was he hot?"

Emmett groaned and tried to get back into his video game. "No, he's not here. He seemed okay…a little too quiet and broody. And Alice, you can't ask a guy if another guy is hot. It's just not right."

Rosalie stroked his arm. "Aww come on baby! You know I can always tell you when I think another girl looks hot."

"Hell yeah baby! You know how much I love that…but it's different with guys."

Alice sighed and grabbed my hand, pulling me to the stairs as Emmett and Rose continued to discuss their differences. After retrieving my costume from her closet, I said a weary goodnight and moved to my room. I shut the door and then, after a moment of deliberation, locked it for good measure. I tried to stay as quiet as possible for fear of waking Jake. I smiled to see him stretched out on the bed, snoring softly. I moved to my desk and flicked on my lamp and computer, only stumbling once in the dark over a small stack of novels. My room was filled with books, books…and more books. I had almost one whole wall completely covered in bookshelves. One small section of the shelves contained my own writings…ones I had no intention of anyone else seeing anytime soon.

I smiled at my desktop background. It was of Alice, Rose and I when we were around fifteen. We were dressed in an early creation of Alice's. The tops were bright pink and the bottoms a shiny silver. We all had big grins as we posed with our arms around each other. It was one of my favorite pictures. The only other picture in my room was a small one near my bed. It was the only thing I was able to take with me to my new life. My mom and I were hugging each other tight, my eyes squeezed shut in delight as she kissed my cheek. That picture had been with me so long I hardly ever cried anymore when I saw it. So many things had happened since the last time I saw her. I was usually able to hold onto the good memories and let go of the anger that almost consumed me.

I checked a few emails and logged off when nothing of importance popped up. After setting my alarm, I settled into my bed next to a warm Jake and just started to nod off when I heard the sound of an unfamiliar car pulling into the driveway. I almost got up to greet the newcomer, but I was already way too comfortable. I chose to go to sleep instead and made a mental note to make muffins for him in the morning. He may have a bad reputation, but people can change. At least, that was the hope I held onto for the last eight years.

**Well, what do you think? Are you interested?**

**Let me get something straight before someone gets all defensive.**

**This is just a fun story…I have very little in the way of facts to back this up because honestly, I am too lazy and I care more about the characters than the facts.**

**So I will forewarn you that I don't know much about dancing, cheerleading, The university of Washington or the university of Maryland…so don't get mad if I don't get something right!**

**Also, I have no prejudice against cheerleaders, blondes, etc…but I needed the drama somewhere so there you go. Also, if you are offended by drug use, alcohol, foul language or sex... you have been warned, this story will be chock full of it. **

**Okay, Edward is a total dick in this story, but you find out there is a reason for it later on. Also, you will find out why Bella's friends are overprotective of her. Edward and Bella will be meeting soon, but maybe not the next chapter. I am hoping that the chapters will be better and longer than my other ones in previous stories… and I would love to have a story that got over 1000 reviews! So to all my loyal readers out there, keep up the great support!**

**I know I have more to write but I forget what it was, and I want to post this ASAP so I will get back to it later.**

**Oh…one more thing. I will update this as much as possible but don't expect it to be as fast as my last stories…I am trying to do this one right! : )**


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